I Solemnly Swear I Remember When
by Sophia Trozzo
Summary: James and Sirius created a magical novel to store their most prized memories in, during their days at Hogwarts-a novel that is now going to be passed on to 16 year old Harry, and take him and his friends back into the time of the Marauders! R&R PLZ!
1. The Novel

Harry James Potter sat, disconcerted, in the dimly lit living room of  
Number 12, Grimmauld Place. A stack of papers was scattered over the long,  
glass table in front of him. They were most probably newspaper clippings  
Molly Weasley had cut out of the daily prophet. Due to the fact that Lord  
Voldemort's return to power was now in the open, the news had long ago made  
the headlines, and continued to do so with every edition published.  
  
Yet Harry didn't even bother looking at them anymore. He had known it all  
for so long now. He had known the truth for a year, and every time he  
thought about it he would laugh mirthlessly to himself. For an entire year,  
he, and the rest of the Order had tried to convince the ignorant Ministry  
that the Dark Lord was back. For an entire year Harry had to put up with  
people thinking he was an arrogant, attention-seeking lunatic, who made up  
crazy stories only to be noticed in the slightest way.  
  
But he didn't care what people had to say about him anymore. He was 16  
years old now, and the reality that he wasn't a super hero, but instead a  
war soldier with many bruises, had finally sunk into him.  
"Even the bravest end up dead." Harry muttered under his breath, as his  
mind raced back to his Godfather. Sirius had died as a brave man that night  
in the Department of Mysteries, but Harry still couldn't find himself able  
to accept his passing away. It only made him more angry and frustrated to  
know that the people he loved the most were always the ones who ended up  
getting hurt-to know that the people he held closest were always ready to  
oblige sacrificing their own lives to keep his safe.  
Just once he wished he would miss that narrow escape, or be unfortunate in  
some way. He would simply feel so much better knowing he had felt some of  
the pain his parents and Sirius had to endure. And that's why, Harry had  
finally come to the decision that from then on, the battle was his, and his  
alone to fight. Someone had to win, and someone had to lose, and whatever  
the outcome, he was certain that he was ready now-even the aspect of death  
didn't seem so horrifying anymore.  
But Harry absolutely refused to let his friends and cherished ones risk  
their lives, especially since this whole war was taking place to determine  
his fate solely.  
  
He stared at the fireplace straight across from him, and immediately the  
scar on his forehead prickled with pain. The memory of sneaking into  
Dolores Umbridge's office to use her fireplace, in hopes of finding Sirius,  
was once more returning to him. He winced as he remembered the smug look on  
her face when she had caught him, and then grinned at the memory of the  
centaurs dragging her away into the Forbidden Forest. He glanced down at  
the back of his right hand. The words 'I will not tell lies' had not  
completely faded yet, but Harry new it was the memory of Umbridge's  
detentions that would be etched on his arm forever.  
  
Yet, even that pain couldn't be compared on any level to how he had felt  
the night his Godfather had died. Harry got a lump in his throat every time  
he revisited the moment in his mind. Had he lived instead, Sirius would  
have been free by then, and able to walk in the wizarding world cleared of  
all charges-not as Snuffles, or some mass murderer!  
Harry smashed his fist down on the table, and saw the glass shake  
violently. He knew it might seem exaggerated, but losing his Godfather felt  
like losing his parents all over again.  
  
Just then, a door burst open, and Hermione entered the room, looking wildly  
stressed.  
"Harry, we need you in the kitchen-Ron's in hysterics!" She stated,  
exasperated.  
"Bloody hell, Hermione, what is it now?" Harry replied, irritated at having  
his musings interrupted.  
"Well, we were dusting out the cupboards underneath the sink, when Ron  
found this jar of spiders. As you can probably imagine, the shock caused  
him to throw the jar recklessly out of his hands. It ended up shattering  
all over the floor and the spiders weren't exactly in quite the hurry to  
escape-if you catch my drift-"  
"Say no more." Harry told her, getting up and pacing quickly to the  
kitchen. When he reached the door to it, he reached out for the knob, but  
was saved the trouble by Mrs. Weasley.  
"Oh, hello Harry, dear!" She greeted him with her famous warm-hearted  
smile. "Where have you been all this time? Upstairs? Oh anyhow, dear, help  
yourself to some pumpkin juice, I'm just off to fetch my wand for those  
spiders!" She said, patting him on the shoulder, and scurrying off to her  
room on the second floor.  
Harry and Hermione entered the kitchen to find Ron trembling in the center  
of what seemed like a hundred spiders surrounding him. He looked up when  
they walked in, white as a ghost, lips trembling.  
"Help?" He sputtered, still shaking like mad. Meanwhile Fred and George  
stood on the side, holding their stomachs from laughing so much.  
"Hey Ron!" Fred piped up. "Why don't you try making the ickle spiders go  
away by cursing them to tapdance?" He suggested in between his cackling.  
"Yeah you know Fred, I heard arachnophobia stems from childhood!" George  
put in.  
"Quite true! Must have been from all the times we hid those black widows  
under his bed sheets!" Fred smiled, shaking his head in mock sadness-and  
the twins erupted into more howls of laughter.  
"It's not funny, boys!" Said Mrs. Weasley, strictly. She had just re-  
entered the kitchen, and with a flick of her wand, the spiders circling Ron  
vanished. Meanwhile, he had his eyes shut tight, as if praying that none of  
them tried making their getaway right then, and climbed up his legs for an  
easier escape route. "It's alright now Ron, they're gone." His mother told  
him reassuringly.  
"Yeah ickle Ronnie, the monsters have disappeared now-" George smirked.  
"So you can stop wetting your pants!" Fred added.  
"SHUT UP!" Ron roared, and attempted to pounce on them, before they  
disparated into thin air, and he crashed headfirst onto the floor. Harry  
coughed, trying to stifle a laugh, and Hermione turned around to disguise  
hers. Mrs. Weasley shrieked and ran to see if he was all right, but Ron was  
already getting up, rubbing his head vigorously.  
"Blimey, that hurt!" He said, bluntly, then noticed Harry and Hermione(who  
were shaking their heads in front of him, and smiling). Ron blushed  
crimson. "Oh, hey guys!"  
"Hey Ron!" They replied together.  
And Harry abandoned his mourning for the while, and made his way upstairs  
to the bedroom he shared with Ron, his two best friends right behind him.  
  
"Can you two believe it? Sixth year-wow!" Hermione exclaimed, sitting on  
the edge of Ron's bed and petting Crookshanks heartily across the back.  
"I know. Feels like it was just yesterday we were stepping into the Great  
Hall for the first time, nervous about being sorted." Ron agreed. He was  
sucking on a sugar quill while looking over Harry's Broom Servicing Kit.  
Harry was just staring at the ceiling blankly, vaguely aware of what the  
other two were talking about.  
"Harry, are you alright?" Hermione asked him, cautiously. When he didn't  
answer her, Ron voiced out his thoughts.  
"You've been thinking of Sirius again, haven't you mate?"  
"My God, am I that transparent?" Harry suddenly snapped, icily. Ron and  
Hermione exchanged fearful expressions.  
"Listen Harry, we aren't trying to upset you, we just want you to know you  
can talk to us about it if you-"  
"And what makes you think I'd want to talk about it? Do you think it's  
easy? Pouring out feelings and emotions like they mean absolutely nothing?  
Do you really think it's that simple trying to put yourself back together,  
when you feel as though the last intact piece of you has been severed and  
tied to the top of some unreachable cliff?"  
Ron had stopped sucking on the quill, and Hermione looked as if she was  
very carefully choosing her next words.  
"Yes of course, Harry, we understand-we understand exactly how you feel!"  
"Look the last thing I need is your pity! I'm not some damn charity case,  
Hermione!" And with that he leapt off the bed and left, slamming the door  
and causing the portrait of Sirius's mother to start wailing curses loudly.  
"FILTHY HALF BLOODS! CREATURES OF DIRT! BLOOD TRAITORS! SHAME OF MY FLESH-"  
But Harry wasn't listening to her nonsense. He had reached the top of the  
staircase, and found Mrs. Weasley talking to someone quietly at the door.  
When she heard Harry's footsteps she turned around and smiled at him.  
"Oh Harry, sweetheart, come here won't you-there's someone who wants to  
speak with you!" She said, and Harry thought he heard something of an  
anxious tone in her voice. He couldn't imagine who would want to speak with  
him right then, but he made his way silently down the staircase. He walked  
up to Mrs. Weasley, and then turned to the person standing at the door. It  
was Albus Dumbledore. Harry was shocked, why would he want to talk to him?  
"Good evening, Sir." Harry said, reproachfully. He still hadn't gotten over  
what had happened last in the Headmaster's office.  
"Good evening, Harry." Dumbledore replied, smiling kindly, and observing  
him beneath his spectacles. "Molly may I come in for a moment?"  
"Of course, Albus! Please do!" And she and Harry stepped aside to let him  
in.  
"Is Arthur home yet?"  
"Oh, no, not yet, but he should be arriving soon."  
"Oh jolly good, then. I've been meaning to ask him about how things are  
going at the ministry."  
"Well Fudge is groveling apparently. Of course, I expected that-the man  
feels like a downright fool and a half now, doesn't he? And I've heard that  
many have been sending in complaints, stating that something this serious  
should've been looked into immediately, and not overlooked so  
irresponsibly!" Mrs. Weasley told him.  
"Well, I must say, I was surely expecting that! I gave my warnings far more  
than once, but Cornelius was never the easiest wizard to make understand  
something, he's far too narrow-minded and pigheaded!" Dumbledore answered  
wearily.  
"Certainly-but, as far as Hogwarts goes-" She began.  
"Dolores Jane Umbridge is no longer a member of our staff, least of all  
Head Inquisitor, and the Educational Decrees have been removed personally  
by the Minister himself." He assured her, smiling merrily.  
"Oh, that's excellent then!" Mrs. Weasley beamed. "That Umbridge woman was  
nothing more than a vicious snake-you should hear the stories my sons tell  
of her."  
"Yes well, there's no denying her unpopularity," Dumbledore agreed. "but I  
think it best that we forget about her, and continue to focus on the much  
more important issues heading our way." He looked straight at Harry when he  
said this.  
"Yes, well, I suppose you're right." Mrs. Weasley nodded in agreement. "Now-  
you wanted to speak to Harry?"  
"Yes. Harry, may I have a private word?" He asked him, humbly.  
"Sure." Harry replied, shortly. Dumbledore led him down the corridor, to a  
large, empty room that Harry had a feeling had not been used in quite a  
while. He faced his Headmaster, awkwardly.  
"Now Harry, I've come here this evening in order to pass on to you  
something I think you will enjoy very much." Dumbledore told him.  
"Oh really? What's that?" Harry answered, a bit more coldly than he had  
meant to.  
"A book."  
"A book?"  
"Yes, a book, or more, a link to memories of your father's and Sirius's."  
Dumbledore explained. Harry, who had been staring down at his feet, and  
pacing, looked up at the mention of this.  
"What are you saying?" He asked him, perplexed.  
"When Sirius and James were at school, they created a book to store their  
most cherished memories in. You could think of it more as a pensieve,  
though, not a novel. Every page of the book will take you back to a certain  
moment of theirs. Sirius left it in my possession once we had started the  
order, he said he had eventually wanted it to be given to you, as a gift  
from him, for your coming of age. Unfortunately, well-things didn't go as  
planned," Harry gritted his teeth at this, trying to keep his self-control.  
He wasn't angry anymore, but just the subject of his Godfather could easily  
make him breakdown. "but I feel positive, that he would've wanted me to  
give it to you." Dumbledore reached down into the large pockets of his  
purple robes then, and pulled out a leather covered book, bolted shut by a  
suede belt. He handed it to Harry, who took it as if it were the rarest  
treasure he would ever possess.  
"Thank you so much, Sir!" Harry gulped, in wonder.  
"Oh, don't mention it my boy!" He said, chuckling. "Anyhow, I best be  
getting on my way!" He walked swiftly to the door, and shut it lightly  
behind him, leaving Harry standing in the middle of the room, gazing at the  
novel in his hands in utter amazement.  
Could this book actually take him back to his father's and Sirius's days at  
Hogwarts? Was he actually going to be able to see them again?  
He heard Dumbledore saying goodbye to Mrs. Weasley and thanking her for her  
time, then the front door shut loudly, and he was gone. Harry waited till  
he was sure Mrs. Weasley had returned to the kitchen, and then fled  
upstairs to tell his friends what had just happened.  
  
Harry thundered through the door to find Ron and Hermione still sitting on  
Ron's bed, talking about something Harry was sure had to do with him.  
However, he didn't have time for childish arguments with them right then,  
so he dismissed that thought quickly.  
"Ron, Hermione, you're never going to believe what Dumbledore has just  
given me!" He exclaimed. Hermione raised an eyebrow, and Ron gave her a  
confused look.  
"I take it you're not angry with us anymore?" Hermione asked, and Harry  
looked down, slightly ashamed for taking all his frustrations out on the  
two people who cared about him the most.  
"I'm sorry about that, you guys. I was just in a rotten mood."  
"It's alright," Ron said, compassionately. "but you should know we hate it  
when you just snap at us like that."  
"I know, I shouldn't have, I'll try to work on channeling my anger at the  
right people, I promise." Harry told them.  
"Good!" Hermione said, approvingly. She smiled at Harry and then said, "So  
now, what's this you were saying about Dumbledore giving you?"  
Harry walked over to them, and sat down on the bed.  
"He gave me this." He said, handing her the book, and Ron bent over her  
shoulder to get a closer view.  
"What is it?" He asked Harry.  
"Well, according to Dumbledore, it's a book my father and Sirius made  
during their time at Hogwarts." Harry explained.  
"Really?" Hermione asked, looking very interested.  
"Yeah, but that's not even half of it. See, it's not really a book, but  
more of a pensieve. Every page of the book will supposedly take you back to  
a memory of my father's and Sirius's. That's why they make it in the first  
place, to store their most precious moments in it. Dumbledore said Sirius  
was going to give it to me as a present for my coming of age-"  
"You mean when you turned seventeen?" Hermione questioned.  
"Yeah, I guess."  
"That's bloody brilliant!" Ron expressed, amazed. Harry grinned at him.  
"You're damn right it is!" After sitting in silence for a moment, Harry  
spoke up.  
"So-so do you wanna try it out?" He asked them, nervously.  
"I DO!" Ron said, jumping at the opportunity for an adventure. The two boys  
then turned to Hermione.  
"Well I do suppose it would be highly interesting," She compromised. "but  
how exactly do we get back from the memory once we're in it?"  
"Simple, we return from it as soon as the memory ends." Harry told her.  
"Will people be able to see us, or feel us there?" Ron inquired.  
"No." Harry assured him. "No, it'll just be as if we're invisibly there,  
watching them."  
"Ok." His friends said together.  
"So, are you guys coming or not? Because either way I'm doing this!" Harry  
said, confidently.  
"Well alright then, I suppose we have nothing to lose-and besides, if  
Dumbledore gave it to you, I'm sure it's safe!" Hermione decided.  
"Exactly!" Ron agreed. "Let's do this!"  
Harry beamed at them both, and carefully began undoing the suede belt  
attached to the book. Once it was off, he opened the book up to find a  
white envelope(addressed to him) fall out of it.  
"Read what it says first." Hermione warned.  
"Obviously." Harry rolled his eyes at her. He unsealed the envelope, and  
pulled out the dry parchment in it. Opening it up, he saw the familiar  
handwriting of his Godfather.  
  
Dear Harry,  
I am writing this to you from my bedroom in Number 12, Grimmauld Place.  
Even though Kreacher is quite the annoyance, I don't think I will find much  
trouble in expressing myself to you.  
James and I created this novel during our time at Hogwart's together. It is  
most probably the most valuable and sacred, among our many treasured items.  
Remus and Peter did not help with it though, James and I decided, when the  
idea first came to us, that it should remain something between the two of  
us, solely.  
To be quite honest, it was never something I had expected would be given to  
you. I had kept it in my possession for many years, and planned on  
continuing to do so, until your parents died, and I knew that it should  
rightly be passed on to you!  
I hope you enjoy every page of it, and I hope it helps you get to know your  
parents a little bit better! You know, James was always more of a brother  
than a friend to me, he helped me through some of my darkest hours, and I  
truly feel that if I owe him anything for all he's done for me, it's your  
happiness, Harry!  
So take a stroll down memory lane, and trespass on the most prized moments  
of the Marauders-as long as you solemnly swear you are up to no good!  
Hehe-  
  
Much love,  
Sirius-  
  
Harry peered down at the letter one last time, smiling to himself. Then he  
closed it, and turned to the first page of the book-the title page.  
"Prongs and Padfoot, proudly present, I Solemnly Swear I Remember When." He  
read out loud.  
"They're pretty fond of that whole 'I solemnly swear' thing, aren't they?"  
Ron said, grinning widely.  
"Yes, definitely!" Hermione seconded.  
"Well-here it goes, guys!" Harry told them, excitedly. He turned the title  
page and found himself face to face with a blank one. Then, suddenly, a  
burst of light shot through the page, and before he knew it, Harry felt  
himself fly into it-Ron and Hermione on either side of him. 


	2. The Day Prongs Met Padfoot

A/N: Wow! I really, really, REALLY, wasn't expecting to get so many  
reviews! Thank you so much! I'm so happy that all you beautiful people like  
my story! Tear This definitely WON'T be a one shot, so PLZ keep reading  
and reviewing! Also, I'm going to try to space this chapter out a bit more,  
after receiving quite a bit of feedback that the first was rather crowded.  
So once again- thank you all very much! Enjoy!  
xox Jade  
P.S: They announced the official title for the 6th HP novel- it's going to  
be called "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prints" This information is also  
posted on J.K Rowling's site.  
Beams  
  
Harry opened his eyes and found himself standing at Kings Cross Station,  
platform nine and three quarters, right in front of the Hogwarts Express.  
He turned to check if Ron and Hermione were still beside him, and found,  
with a feeling of relief, that they were.  
  
Ron's mouth had fallen open, he was staring at the train disbelievingly, as  
if certain it was all a dream. Hermione waved a hand impatiently in front  
of his face, rolling her eyes. Harry thought that for someone who had never  
exactly used a pensieve before, (or anything else of the sort for that  
matter)she didn't look too shocked.  
  
Ron snapped out of his trance.  
"Which memory is this?" He asked, still in wonder.  
"Well, it's definately the start of term, but which year?" Hermione  
responded, looking around the station for familiar faces, or any clues that  
could help them uncover the moment. Beside her, Harry was doing the same,  
and having just as little luck, until he turned around, and spotted a boy  
with messy jet-black hair and glasses, a few feet away, talking to his  
parents.  
  
"Now James, hurry up dear, before the train leaves and you're stuck without  
a seat the entire ride!" The boy's mother urged him on. She was a beautiful  
woman, with a fairly slim figure, and angelic features.  
"Yes mom, don't worry." The boy answered, appearing slightly annoyed of her  
nagging. Harry saw the woman hug her son one last time before he set off,  
trunk in hand, to find a compartment on the train.  
Harry beamed- he had found his father. He nudged Ron and Hermione, who were  
oblivious to what he had just heard, and still continuing their own  
separate searches.  
"What is it, did you see someone?" Hermione asked him.  
"Yeah, my father!"  
"FOR REAL?" Ron thundered.  
"Ron, calm down!" Hermione ordered. "Which way did he go, Harry?"  
Harry pointed towards the train.  
"Come on, let's go! We've got to try to get the same compartment as him!"  
He told his friends, hurriedly.  
"Wait a second- are you saying that we're actually going to board the  
train?" Ron asked, looking worried.  
"Ron are you stupid?" Hermione snapped at him.  
"NO!" He replied, defensively, scowling at her.  
"Then isn't it obvious to you that the memory we're supposed to be seeing  
takes place on the train?!"  
  
"Ahem." Harry coughed, loudly, and his friends abandoned their fighting for  
a moment and looked at him. "Hey, I have an idea! How about the two of you  
shut the hell up for a while, so we can get on the train before it  
LEAVES?!" He shouted the last word, and Ron and Hermione jumped back.  
"Sorry Harry." They apologized together. And the three of them raced to the  
train, and boarded it. It turned out they had made it right on time, too,  
because less than a minute after, a whistle sounded, and the train took  
off.  
  
Harry and Hermione roamed the corridors, peeking through each compartment,  
in search of Harry's father- while Ron ran back and forth through a couple  
of witches, fascinated by the fact that neither of them could feel a thing.  
When he had done it for about the tenth time, Hermione got fed up, and with  
a glare, she pulled him away by the collar of his robes.  
"I found him!" Harry announced seconds later. "He's in here! Come on you  
guys!" He made to open the compartment door, but was stalled by a warning  
from Hermione.  
"Harry don't!"  
"Why not?" He asked her, a bit irritated.  
"Well honestly, what would you think if you were in your father's place  
right now, and you saw a door open on it's own?" She pointed out.  
"Oh- true."  
"You guys, we don't have to open the door, we can just run through it-  
look." Ron backed up a few feet, and then attempted to speed through the  
door, but instead of ending up on the other side, he crashed face first  
into it.  
"Ouch." He whimpered, and fell to his knees in pain.  
Hermione, who couldn't find the words to insult him with, sighed loudly,  
and helped him up off the floor.  
"How stupid is this?" Ron muttered under his breath, trying to cover up his  
blunder. "Being able to run through people and not doors-"  
  
They waited near the compartment for a while longer. Ron was nursing a nose  
that he was convinced had to be broken, while Hermione told him off for  
being such an idiot.  
Harry, meanwhile, kept looking at his father through the glass doors. He  
watched him sit there, on his own, and realized that for five years now, he  
had truly believed he would never see him again. Yet there he was, right  
before his eyes- and Harry was finally convinced that everyone who had  
known his dad only spoke the truth when they told him that he looked  
exactly like him. Having the same unruly, black hair, lanky figure, pale  
complexion, and round-rimmed glasses, their profiles were almost identical.  
"So what exactly are we waiting for?" He asked Hermione.  
"We're waiting for someone to enter the compartment, so we can sneak in  
with them." She explained.  
"And what if no one ever comes?" Ron inquired.  
"You're such a pessimist!" Hermione hissed at him. "Just wait, I know  
someone will come!"  
So they decided to take her word for it, but time quickly ticked away  
another thirty minutes, and just when they were about to give up hope, they  
heard a loud crack explode from the other end of the corridor.  
  
Students were opening their compartment doors to see what the cause of the  
noise was. Harry took a quick glance at his father, but he seemed to be too  
preoccupied with looking out the window to care about what was going on in  
the corridors. Just then, he heard Hermione call out to him.  
"Harry look!" She said, pointing down the corridor. Harry spun around. An  
older student, Harry assumed was probably a prefect, was shouting at a  
younger boy.  
"You! Get back here now, and fix this mess!" He ordered, but the boy kept  
running through the thick clog of smoke that was now filling the entire  
corridor, until he was no longer visable.  
"Get ready." Hermione advised.  
"What? Why?" Ron asked, befuddled, but it was clear, to Harry at least, why  
she had said this. The boy had reached Harry's father's compartment, and  
made to open the door.  
"Now!" Harry shouted. He grabbed Ron, who grabbed Hermione, and the three  
of them charged through the door, right behind the boy.  
  
Harry's father looked up, puzzled.  
"Hi, sorry." The boy apologized. "Do you think I could just hide in here  
for a while?" He asked, pleadingly.  
"Yeah sure." Harry's father said, kindly. Harry watched as the boy took a  
seat beside his father, and then he, Ron and Hermione took ones across from  
them.  
"Oh, by the way, I'm Sirius Black." The boy said, grinning, and holding his  
hand out friendly.  
  
Harry, who had been staring, transfixed at the two boys, spun around and  
looked at his friends.  
"HE'S SIRIUS!" He exclaimed.  
"Shhhh!" Hermione raised a finger to her mouth. "Harry, listen! And of  
course he's Sirius, can't you tell just by looking at his face?"  
Harry looked at the boy more carefully. He did slightly resemble his  
Godfather, although his hair was much shorter, and his face,(evidently) was  
more that of a free-spirited child, than a man who had recently spent  
twelve years imprisoned in Azkaban, for a crime he hadn't committed.  
  
"James Potter." Harry's father replied, shaking Sirius's hand. "Nice to  
meet you."  
"And you." Sirius replied, cheerfully. He took out a homemade sandwich from  
the pockets of his robes, unwrapped the paper around it, and shoved it in  
his mouth, hungrily.  
"Um, I don't mean to be rude or anything, but exactly why are you hiding  
for?" James asked him, curiously. Sirius chuckled.  
"Oh, I set off a dung bomb in the corridor, and the prefects caught me  
before I could make a clean getaway!"  
"Why'd you do that for?" James asked, interested.  
"Oh, just for a bit of fun, I guess." Sirius shrugged, and took another  
bite out of sandwich. James laughed, and looked Sirius over with a newfound  
respect.  
"Cool!" He said.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged smirks. Sirius was exactly the same  
person they had always known him to be.  
"I guess we know which memory this is now-" Harry grinned.  
"Yeah, the first time Prongs and Padfoot met." Ron finished for him.  
"And how they became friends." Hermione added. "I wonder if anyone else we  
know is going to show up." She said, and the other two looked at her.  
"Like who?" Harry asked.  
"I don't know- anyone."  
  
"So where do you live, anyways?" James asked Sirius, after a moment of  
silence.  
"London." Sirius answered, shortly, and with the air of someone who wasn't  
too happy about it.  
"Really?" James said. "Same here."  
"Yeah? Well, I don't care too much for home anyways-I hate it there!" He  
said grouchily.  
"Oh? Why's that."  
"My mother is the most controlling, patronizing woman I know! She's  
corrupted with this idea that only pureblooded wizards are fit to study  
magic! She almost didn't send me to Hogwarts after she'd heard how many  
muggle-borns there are there, but luckily my father was able to talk some  
sense into her. He's pretty much the only normal person left in my entire  
family, besides me! So yeah- he ended up convincing her to send me there,  
and I'm pretty sure she hates him for it- she still isn't too fond of  
Dumbledore though!"  
"That sounds pretty crappy!" James said, pityingly. "My parents are the  
complete contrary, their huge supporters of Dumbledore, and trust the  
choices he makes! What about you, though? Do you believe that only  
purebloods should learn magic?" He asked.  
"I don't, and I never will!" Sirius said, certain of his words. "My mother  
can say whatever she wants, but I'm never going to think like her!"  
James smiled, approvingly.  
"Good for you!"  
  
"Sirius told me he hated his mother!" Harry told Ron and Hermione.  
"She sure sounds like a ruddy, old hag!" Ron put in, clenching his fist.  
"You know, the way Sirius is describing her, it makes me think a lot of the  
Malfoys!"  
"I agree." Harry said.  
"Well if you ask me, I think there's a lot more to this story than Sirius  
is letting on." Hermione spoke up, rather hastily. "And I think we're going  
to find out what it is through these memories somehow!"  
Harry and Ron looked at her questioningly, but before she could continue  
her thoughts, James was speaking again.  
  
"So, are you nervous for the sorting?" He asked, Sirius.  
"Not really, it makes no difference to me-just as long as I'm not put in  
Slytherin!" He told him. "My older brother, Regulus was sorted into  
Slytherin. My mother was so proud of him," Sirius spat, looking sickened.  
"but personally, I wanna get into any house but that one, just to piss her  
off! Just to have her blast me for disgracing the noble name of Black!" He  
laughed, evilly.  
  
Just then, loud laughter could be heard from right outside the compartment.  
Harry got up and looked through the glass of the door. Someone(there head  
was bent, so he couldn't distinguish who)was using magic to harm a student.  
Sirius and James must have noticed this also, because they both got up, and  
headed to the door. Harry moved out of the way, quickly, and Sirius pulled  
open the door.  
  
A greasy haired boy was kicking a boy who lay on the floor, injured- he had  
his wand out, and pointing at him. James, who had been standing behind  
Sirius, jumped in front of him, angrily.  
"Drop your wand now!" He shouted. The boy turned around, and smirked,  
slyly.  
"Or what?" He tested him. "What are you going to do? Jump me?"  
"Hey, that's a great suggestion!" Sirius raged. "Allow me to try it out!"  
And before the boy could do anything, he had pounced on him, and knocked  
the wand right out of his hand. James took this time to help the other boy  
off of the floor.  
  
"Are you alright?" He asked him, concerned.  
"Yeah I'm fine." The boy replied. "Thanks."  
"No problem!" Sirius said, and he smiled in satisfaction. James turned  
around, and what he saw made him burst out cackling. The greasy haired boy  
was hanging from the ceiling of the corridor, tied from head to toe in a  
thick, yellow rope.  
"Oh boy. Don't you think we should've gotten the prefects and let them sort  
it out instead?" The boy asked, hesitantly.  
"Nah!" Sirius waved this idea away, immediately. "I'm sure he'll be in much  
HIGHER spirits this way!" He pointed out, and set James off into more howls  
of laughter.  
  
Standing at the foot of the compartment, Harry and Ron were holding their  
stomachs from laughing so much. Hermione was rolling her eyes, but it was  
obvious she was trying a little too hard to keep from exploding into  
hysterics.  
"I can't believe he tied Snape to the ceiling!" Ron exclaimed, wiping a  
tear from his cheek. "Oh God, Harry! It's just too comical!"  
"I know! That'll be something to rub in his face when we get back to  
Hogwarts. Hey Snape, so I've heard you were on top of everything at school,  
even the ceilings of the Hogwarts Express!" And they rolled over in even  
more laughter.  
"Lunatics." Hermione muttered, but she turned around to hide her smile.  
The three of them stepped back into the compartment, and took their seats,  
as James, Sirius and the other boy came in.  
  
Sirius closed the door behind them, then turned around and faced the boy.  
"Oh yeah, you must have dropped this. It was on the floor beside where you  
had fallen." Sirius said, handing him a rather thick book. Harry leaned  
over to read the title, it was called 'The Eye of the Werewolf'.  
"Oh yeah, thanks." The boy said, looking grateful.  
"What's your name anyway?" James asked him. They boy had sandy brown hair,  
and gorgeous, rich, blue eyes.  
"Remus Lupin." He told him, shyly.  
  
Again, Harry and his friends turned sideways to look at each other. The  
three of them wore identical grins.  
"I knew it was him!" Hermione stated. "Those eyes are still exactly the  
same!"  
"And his book- 'The Eye of the Werewolf'." Harry pointed out.  
"Now three of them have been acquainted, so exactly when is that little  
snake Peter going to show up?" Ron said, looking as if he was just dying  
for the chance to rip Pettigrew to shreds.  
  
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Remus!" Sirius greeted him, warmly. "I'm  
Sirius Black!"  
"And I'm James Potter." James said, laughing at his new friend, as he  
danced around the compartment.  
"It's nice to meet you both." Remus said, politely. He took a seat then,  
and watched absent mindly as Sirius tangoed with an invisible partner.  
James glanced at him.  
"You don't talk much, do you Remus?" He asked him.  
"Oh no, it's not that!" Remus replied, seeming to come back to earth. "I  
guess I just haven't gotten over the shock of that whole incident yet, you  
know?"  
Sirius stopped dancing when he heard this.  
"Don't worry, my friend, James and I won't curse you!" He assured him,  
grinning.  
"Oh- yes of course- I know that." Remus said, embarrassed. And he warmed  
up, gradually, after that. The three of them chatted animatedly for the  
rest of ride, while Harry, Ron and Hermione, listened and took in every  
word of their conversation.  
  
Then suddenly, the train began slowing down, until it finally came to a  
halt.  
"Whoohoo!! We're here!" Sirius shouted, punching the air happily. He  
grabbed James and began dancing with him, while Remus watched them, looking  
as though he thought they were both mad.  
"Come on, let's get out of here!" James said, excitedly. And the three of  
them started heading out the compartment together.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione made to get up and follow them, but just then, the  
dim lights on the train began fading to black- and before they knew what  
had hit them, they felt themselves spinning around in a pitch-dark void.  
  
When Harry opened his eyes again, he was sitting in his bedroom at Number  
12, Grimmauld Place. He turned his head slowly to face his two best  
friends, and then a huge smile escaped from his lips.  
"Ok. That, was INCREDIBLE!" He exclaimed. He hadn't felt this ecstatic in  
ages, and wanted to savor every second of the feeling.  
"You're telling me!" Ron agreed. "Harry, hurry up, turn the damn page of  
the book! I've just got to see what the next memory is!"  
"I must say, for once I second what Ron said, Harry! This is extremely  
fascinating! It's a great opportunity to learn about your parents, their  
friends, and perhaps even the history of Hogwarts-"  
"Ok Hermione-" Ron cut her off, impatiently. "for once, just shut the  
bloody hell up about the history of Hogwarts!"  
And with the sounds of their arguing voices ringing in his head, Harry  
gazed down at the novel in pure bliss, before turning to the second page.  
  
Another burst of light shot out through it, and, caught completely off  
guard, Ron and Hermione seized Harry, each by an arm, as the three of them  
felt themselves being sucked into the novel, and flying on to the second  
memory. 


	3. A Sorting for Four

A/N: WOOOOOPPPPPIIIIIII! Thank you, thank you, thank you! You people are  
all so wonderful! I'm thrilled that you like this! I'm sorry that I haven't  
updated in quite a while, I've been rather busy! Ok, so, yeah, my  
formatting still sucks, I know! I'm going to try and put more space between  
the dialogue. Also, I made a couple of errors in my last chapter(And you  
clever people caught them).  
First off, the 6th Harry Potter Novel is going to be called: Harry Potter  
and the Half-Blood PRINCE(Not prints) Thank you, OofTheLivingDead, for  
making me aware of this.  
Also, Carlieblack, Nessie6 and Accio Flaming Stake, you are correct-  
Regulus is younger than Sirius in the books. However, this here is MY  
little fanfic, so we'll just pretend he's older, alright? Hehe.  
Anyways, here's the third chapter! I hope you enjoy! And please keep  
reviewing- I love seeing the little boxes pop up to notify me that someone  
has sent me a review- it keeps me motivated! Ha!  
Tootles,  
Jade  
  
The scenery had changed, considerably, from the first memory, when Harry  
next opened his eyes. He, Ron and Hermione were standing at the entrance to  
the Great Hall, looking out at a sea of older students heading towards  
their proper house tables and taking their seats.  
  
"Harry, do you think the memories we're seeing are arranged in some  
specific order?" Hermione spoke up from beside him.  
  
"Well I reckon' they'd be in the order of which they occurred." Ron  
answered for her, then looked over at Harry. "Wouldn't you think, Harry?"  
  
"I suppose." He shrugged, staring now at the staff table, where Dumbledore  
was deep in conversation with a teacher he'd never seen. "Come on, let's  
grab those empty seats at Gryffindor table!"  
  
"Ok." Ron and Hermione said together.  
  
They took their seats at the table and then continued to peer around the  
hall. Harry couldn't spot his father or Sirius anywhere, yet- so he  
focused, instead, on listening to a boy over at the Hufflepuff table  
telling his friend, loudly, that he was going to try out for seeker on the  
quidditch team. Harry suddenly felt a terrible longing inside of him to  
soar out onto the spectacular pitch, and let the cool, refreshing breeze  
fly through his hair. With so much having been weighing on his mind the  
last couple of months, he could hardly find the strength or motivation to  
take out his firebolt.  
  
Right then, the doors of the hall burst open, cutting Harry's dreams of  
being back on his broom short. Professor McGonagall was leading a group of  
anxious looking first years across the hall, the sorting hat clutched  
firmly in her arms.  
Harry beamed when he saw his father and Sirius at the front of the line,  
appearing(contrary to all the others)quite calm and rather excited.  
He stole a glance at Dumbledore again, and saw that he was smiling kindly  
down upon the first years, who the majority of were now shaking with  
nerves.  
  
Harry got up from his seat, then, and Ron and Hermione looked at him  
questioningly.  
  
"Harry mate, where are you going?" Ron asked him, puzzled.  
  
"This is the memory of my father and Sirius' sorting. The first years who  
are going to be sorted into Gryffindor are going to need these seats- come  
on." He replied, hastily. Looking slightly reluctant to leave a table that  
was soon going to be crammed with plates of delicious food, Ron got up from  
it, followed by Hermione a moment after. Harry led them past the house  
tables, to the front of the line of first years, where his father and  
Sirius were.  
  
Sirius was rubbing his stomach hungrily, as McGonagall placed the sorting  
hat on a stool in front of the staff table, and then stepped aside. The  
brim of the hat's mouth opened, and then it burst into familiar song.  
  
"It always rants about the same things." Ron complained, bitterly. "Four  
houses, four makers- then they parted ways, and the school fell apart- so  
now we're cursed with this bloody hat's song, telling us that we have to  
unite with the Slytherins! Yeah right- as if we would actually walk up to  
Draco Malfoy, shake hands with him and then ask him if we could be buddies!  
He'd stuff us!  
  
Harry laughed, heartily, imagining the look on his enemy's face if he ever  
suggested being allies with him. 'Stuff' was an understatement. He wasn't  
worried though, he was prepared to swallow a jar full of cockroaches before  
becoming friends with Draco Malfoy.  
Hermione, however, was looking at Ron with a frown carved on her face.  
  
"You don't need to be friends with those you dislike, or dislike you, for  
the houses to be united, Ron. You only have to reach a mutual, and neutral  
respect for each other!" She pointed out, scowling.  
  
"Yeah well, you'll forgive me, Hermione, for not being able to find the  
RESPECT in me for the son's of death eaters." Ron answered, coolly.  
Hermione sighed heavily, and the absence of a retort from her made Harry  
feel certain that she had nothing more to say. Harry said nothing, though  
he privately agreed with Ron.  
  
The song had finished now. There was fresh outburst of applause from the  
students, as Professor McGonagall proceeded with unrolling the list of  
names of the first years. Harry saw her glower impatiently around the hall,  
silencing the clapping, before turning to them.  
  
"Now- when I call your name. You will make your way up to the stool and I  
will place the sorting hat on your head. When the hat calls out the house  
to which it finds you most suitable for, you will go sit at the appropriate  
table." She peered down at the list now, and Harry heard Sirius wish his  
father good luck before the first name was called.  
  
"Mark Andrews." McGonagall's voice boomed around the hall, as a tall boy  
with curly hair stepped up to the stool, and had the hat placed on his  
head.  
  
"HUFFLEPUFF!" Roared the hat, and the table next to Gryffindor's erupted  
into cheers. The boy stepped off the stool and headed to his table.  
  
"Sirius Black." McGonagall called next. Sirius winked at James and made his  
way up to the stool confidently. Harry noticed that a few of those sitting  
at the Slytherin table seemed quite alert suddenly. Once the hat was on  
him, it seemed to be pondering it's choice for a moment. Sirius had his  
eyes closed tight, and Harry had a fleeting memory of himself at his own  
sorting, praying he wouldn't be put into Slytherin.  
  
Then, having come to its decision, the hat bellowed out, "GRYFFINDOR!" and  
their table rang with applause. Sirius jumped up, ecstatic, and screamed  
out his delight to the entire hall.  
  
"YES! THANK YOU GOD! I'M NOT IN SLYTHERIN! HA!" He exclaimed, punching the  
air happily. He was skipping down the steps to the table now, but before  
Harry knew it, he had tripped and landed face first onto the marble floor.  
The entire hall began laughing, merrily, as though the whole thing were  
quite entertaining. Getting up as quickly as he had fallen, Sirius rubbed  
the back of his head, and grinned sheepishly around at everyone. Then,  
obviously choosing to take a little more time in the spotlight, he bowed  
extravagantly before heading off to sit at his house table.  
  
Professor McGonagall eyed him angrily for a moment, then continued with the  
list. Harry didn't listen while Michael Donlan was sorted into Slytherin-  
he was watching Sirius eye the empty golden plates, longingly. But when the  
next name was called, Harry snapped back into attention.  
  
"Lily Evans." An exquisitely beautiful girl, with long, fiery red hair, and  
stunning, emerald green eyes, was walking up to the stool. She looked as  
though she were trying hard to look calm and composed.  
  
Ron nudged Harry hard in the ribs.  
  
"Hey Harry! That's you're-"  
  
"Mom, yeah." Harry said, cutting him off. He could tell simply by those  
mesmerizing, green eyes- they were his eyes.  
  
"She's beautiful!" Hermione gushed in awe.  
  
Even at the young age of eleven, Lily Evans possessed the ability to  
capture anyone's(girl or boy)attention. Even(to Harry's shock) Sirius was  
gaping, transfixed at her. In fact, the only one who didn't seem remotely  
interested in the dazzling beauty was James. He was talking to Remus, and  
looking more nervous now.  
  
Lily was sorted into Gryffindor a minute later, and, breaking out into a  
relieved smile, went to sit down at the table. Harry saw Sirius move over a  
seat and graciously offer her the one beside him. Harry chuckled to  
himself, he had never known his Godfather to be flirtacious, but Sirius did  
seem to have an undeniable interest in girls.  
Several more minutes passed. Alicia Fawcett was sorted into Ravenclaw, Adam  
Hiltons into Hufflepuff, Victor Jameson into Slytherin.  
  
"Remus Lupin." Remus patted James on the shoulder and then left his side.  
He walked up to the stool, sat down, and waited for the hat to make its  
decision.  
  
"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat shouted. And looking indifferent, Remus walked  
quickly to his table.  
  
"Where's Wormtail?" Harry asked his friends, looking around at the  
remaining students.  
  
"Probably hiding somewhere- the bloody coward that he is!" Ron said,  
gritting his teeth.  
  
A couple of more students were sorted before Peter Pettigrew's name was  
called. Looking terribly shaky, and unstable, he made his way up to the  
stool.  
  
"Phh- should have gotten his mum to help hold his hand- the rotten scum!"  
Ron muttered.  
  
Professor McGonagall placed the hat on Peter's head, while he quivered with  
an immense amount of nerves.  
  
And then, something miraculously eerie happened. Professor Trelawny was  
standing up from her seat, pointing a shaky finger at Peter.  
  
'I sense an evil presence in him, my inner eye sees a horrible disloyalty  
lying in the depth of his cowardly, betraying soul!"  
  
Harry's eyes popped open, he turned around to look at Ron and Hermione and  
found them with their jaws dropped. Harry looked around the hall, students  
were whispering to each other, some looking worried, others just irritated.  
Professor McGonagall was rolling her eyes.  
  
"Um- thank you Professor, for that most interesting um- vision." Dumbledore  
said, undisturbed. And, with one more shaky point at Peter, Professor  
Trelawny collapsed.  
  
"Professor Sinistra, will you kindly take Sybill to the Hospital Wing?"  
Dumbledore asked, calmly.  
  
"Of course."  
  
Ironically, Peter was sorted into Gryffindor, but not with a very  
enthusiastic applause. A lot of people were still looking at him as though  
he were some kind of freak.  
  
"I can't believe Sirius never told me about this!" Harry said, stunned.  
  
"I can't believe that worm was put into Gryffindor!" Ron spat, outraged.  
  
Finally, Harry's father was called.  
  
"James Potter." James sat on the stool, his unruly black hair falling into  
his face. Harry stared at him and was once more reminded of their numerous  
similarities. A second after the hat was placed on his father's head, it  
announced that he would be in Gryffindor!  
Beaming widely, James practically ran to his table, where everyone was  
applauding him loudly.  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged grins and walked quickly back to the  
Gryffindor house table. All the seats were taken though, which left them  
with no choice but to stand and watch the rest of the memory.  
  
"This is so awesome!" Sirius was telling James. "Me, you and Lupin all in  
Gryffindor! It's gonna rock!" James grinned broadly.  
  
"For sure!"  
  
Professor McGonagall had finally reached the last name on the list.  
  
"Severus Snape" Harry's head flew around. Snape was taking a seat on the  
stool, looking apprehensive.  
  
"Hey look- it's the grease ball!" James pointed out. Sirius snorted loudly.  
  
"Should have made that rope a little tighter!" He said, in mock regret.  
James laughed.  
  
To no one's surprise, Snape was sorted into Slytherin. And that's how the  
sorting ended. Professor McGonagall rolled up the list, and picked up the  
stool and hat. Dumbledore was standing up now, his blue eyes twinkling.  
  
"Once again, we are at the start of a new year here at Hogwarts! To  
students new and old- Welcome! Now I would like to make some start of term  
announcements. Mr Filch, our caretaker, has asked me to remind you-"  
  
James and Sirius weren't paying attention to the speech their headmaster  
was making.  
"So are you going to try out for the quidditch team?" Sirius asked him.  
  
"I think so." James said, looking excited. "I love flying, and I'm a big  
fan of the sport!"  
  
"Yeah so am I. My mother thinks the whole thing is for people on crack!  
I'll probably try out for a chaser or something."  
  
"Cool!"  
  
At the seat across from them, Harry was disgusted to see Peter listening  
intently to their conversation. Sirius must have noticed this also, because  
he was regarding Peter with a bemused expression on his face.  
  
"Hey, aren't you that dude who that lunatic teacher called a coward or  
something?" He asked him.  
  
"Uh-y-yes." Peter answered nervously. Harry glared at him. He looked like  
the rat that he was, with huge, pointy ears that stood out, and buck teeth  
quite comparable to a rabbit's.  
  
Sirius was still looking him over when he suddenly seemed to remember  
something.  
  
"Oh yeah James! I forgot- I haven't introduced you to my new lady friend!"  
  
"Lady friend?" James raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Yeah! Hey! Lily!" The girl with the fiery red hair and piercing green eyes  
turned around from a conversation she was having with two girls.  
  
"What?" She said, her emerald eyes glowing.  
  
"Just thought I'd introduce you to my friend James, here." He said, nodding  
at James. Harry looked at his father's face. He was gazing at Lily,  
noticing her for the first time.  
  
"Oh. Hi, nice to meet you." She said politely.  
  
"You-too." James replied. And Harry noticed he was having trouble speaking.  
  
Ron snickered.  
  
"This is a you and Cho moment, Harry!"  
  
"Aww, how cute, puppy love!" Hermione said. Harry couldn't help feeling  
embarrassed for his father.  
  
Then he noticed that Dumbledore had stopped making his speech. He was  
peering around the hall, smiling cheerfully.  
  
"I won't waste more time with speech making- tuck in everyone!" And at his  
words, plates and goblets were filled, and the tables were crowded in  
plates of different foods.  
  
"Here, here!" Sirius cheered, raising his goblet to the staff table, and  
then grabbing a chicken wing. Lily laughed pleasantly at him, then she and  
James caught locked eyes for a moment. She smiled at him, and he smiled  
back, and then she turned around and went back to talking to her friends.  
  
Meanwhile, Ron was trying to sneak a grab at the food, but was having no  
luck at all with Hermione watching his back.  
  
"Were you a vulture in another life?" He scowled at her.  
  
"You know. These next seven years in this school are going to kick so much  
ass! I definitely plan on leaving my mark here!" Sirius was saying,  
importantly.  
  
"How so?" James asked, looking fairly interested.  
  
"Oh you know. Pranks, that sort of thing." He grinned slyly.  
  
"I hardly know you and yet I sense that you are one hell of an evil soul!"  
James laughed coyly.  
  
"You're damn right! And trust me, I'll turn you evil too!" He said with a  
wink.  
  
"I don't doubt it!"  
  
"So what do you think of Lily?" Sirius asked him, changing the subject.  
  
"She seems pretty nice." James told him.  
  
"She's damn hot, man!" He said, and James blushed. "Oh come on, I saw you  
checking her out!" He nudged him playfully.  
  
"Ok, ok. I admit she's really pretty."  
  
"Good!"  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione seemed to agree that it was extremely awkward  
hearing all this- however, it seemed to be all that they would have to for  
now. The image was fading quickly to black again, and before they could all  
get a hold of each other, they were spinning into pitch darkness.  
  
When they arrived back in Harry and Ron's room in Grimmauld Place, their  
minds were bursting with questions.  
"That was wicked!" Ron declared. "But what was up with Trelawny?"  
  
"That was freaky!" Harry agreed. "But it's not like it was some stupid  
prediction though, was it? It actually made a lot of sense!"  
  
"That woman is strange." Hermione said quietly. "She just has these sudden  
outbursts- like that time in the third year when she had that vision of  
Voldemort getting stronger in front of Harry!"  
  
"We've got to see another memory. At least one more before Ron's mom calls  
us down for dinner." Harry told them, hurriedly.  
  
"Will we have time for it?" Hermione asked, hesitantly.  
  
"Yeah you'll have time for one more memory- except this time you'll be  
taking us with you!"  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione flew around to see who had spoken. Fred and George  
were standing at the door, arms folded, and smirking triumphantly. 


	4. A flower and a truce

A/N: You guys are all WAY too kind! I'm beyond flattered! I didn't expect my story to become this successful so fast! You all keep giving me such positive feedback, and quite frankly, I'm beginning to fear disappointing you! Hehe, yes I know the last chapter ended with a pretty big cliffhanger, and I warn you all now- I have a knack for doing that, so expect more of it.(Yeah I know I'm a tease) I'm also aware that I've been changing a couple of facts here and there. For example, the issue of Professor Trelawny not being present at Hogwarts till the year of Harry's birth. As I said previously, I apologize if this seriously bothers any of you, but I'm not perfect and neither can this story be- it can only be as fulfilling as I am capable of making it! On another note, my formatting is improving gradually, and I'm pleased with that. Now, I'll quit my blabbering and get on with this next chappy. To each and every single one of my readers- thank you! And PLEASE keep reviewing, it makes me so happy! Enjoy!  
  
xox  
  
Jade  
  
Harry, Ron and Hermione exchanged worried looks before turning back to the twins with blank expressions on their faces. Fred and George were still smirking, but once they realized that the trio was too stunned to speak, they decided to be the first to break the ice.  
  
"Well?" Fred prompted them.  
  
"We don't have all day here." George said impatiently. "We've just been down to the kitchens, and mum says dinner should be ready in about an hour."  
  
"How do you know what we've been up to?" Harry asked them quietly, looking slightly paler and definitely not feeling forward to their answer.  
  
"Ah Harry, mate, you underestimate us!" Fred said, shaking his head disappointingly. "Tell me, do these look familiar?" He pulled out a pair of the famous extendable ears from the pockets of his overalls, and held them up for the three of them to see.  
  
"Very." Harry said, with a feeling that the floor was sinking beneath him.  
  
"We saw Dumbledore take you into that spare room on the first floor, and thought we'd do a bit of investigating." George said, grinning.  
  
"Naturally we heard everything- so yes, we know exactly what kind of magic that book you're holding possesses." Fred told them, nodding at the novel Harry was holding on to.  
  
"You two can absolutely never find the slightest amount of self control to keep out of other people's business, can you?" Hermione said, rather agitated, and George took a second to look like he was actually thinking her question over.  
  
"Nope, I guess you're right, we can't."  
  
Hermione just rolled her eyes.  
  
"Now, if you don't mind, I think we should start getting on to the next memory, before out time limit runs out." Fred suggested, approaching the bed where they were sitting. But Ron had stood up suddenly, and was looking at his brothers disapprovingly.  
  
"Whoa! Hold on a minute! There is no way that you two are coming with us!" He objected openly.  
  
"And why not?" George asked accusingly. "Because you, our slimy git of a bother isn't giving us permission to?"  
  
"Eat dung, George!" Ron yelled, glaring at him.  
  
"Go join the Percy hall of fame!" He retorted, to which Fred laughed, and Ron prepared to jump him.  
  
"WILL BOTH OF YOU JUST QUIT IT?!" Hermione leaped between them, storming. Ron and George heeded, but they both looked so pissed off it was surprising that steam wasn't emerging from the top of their heads. "Good! Now, personally I think that if anyone should decide who can come or not, that's Harry!" She said, staring pointedly at Ron.  
  
Ron span around then and stared at his best friend, and Harry saw that there was nothing less than pleading in his gaze. This only depressed him more. In truth he had wanted this to be an adventure he shared with Ron and Hermione alone, but what would he tell Fred and George? Besides, how bad could it really be bringing them along? He almost laughed, in spite of himself, at the thought of them being inspired by the pranks his father and friends played. Figuring the more the merrier, he made up his mind to take the twins with them. He only prayed Ron wouldn't hate him too much for it.  
  
"All right you can come." He said finally, and Ron's face fell. The twins beamed, obviously pleased. Harry looked at Ron then- his head was bent and he had turned away from them. "And Ron, if there's anything else you have to say, you might as well say it now, because I refuse to see anymore memories with you in a right state!"  
  
Ron looked up.  
  
"Why do you two want to come, anyway?" He asked the twins in a voice of forced calm.  
  
"Well why wouldn't we?" Fred questioned. "It sounds quite fascinating, and believe me, we'd love to see Harry's father at that age!"  
  
"Yeah!" Agreed George. "I mean, if he's anything like what Sirius said he was, we'll love him right off the bat!"  
  
"Exactly!" Fred nodded.  
  
Ron peered at them suspiciously for a moment, and then, feeling as though he had no other option, caved in.  
  
"Fine. Come. But if you even dare slow us down, or do anything stupid-"  
  
"Yeah, yeah!" George waved him off, irritably. "You can fry us till we're bat droppings! Now let's get a move on!"  
  
And, laughing for the first time since they got back, Harry and the gang threw themselves on Ron's bed, and Harry turned to the third page of the novel. He didn't even have time to warn the twins to grab a hold of one another, before he felt himself being pulled into the book, and spinning in blackness.  
  
A moment later they found themselves standing at the back of a full classroom. There was no teacher present however, and students were talking to each other openly about one thing or another.  
  
Predictably, Harry spotted his father, Sirius, Remus and(he groaned)Peter sitting together at a table in the back of the class. They were laughing like idiots about something, as he pointed them out to Ron, Hermione and the twins.  
  
"There's a spare table in back of them, if we sit there we should be able to hear them pretty well." Hermione said to the group, and nodding their heads in agreement, they followed her to it and took their seats.  
  
Upon a closer look at his father, Harry realized he looked older. He was at least another three inches taller, and somewhat more built in his arms and shoulders. Even Sirius had matured drastically. He was already spurting early man hair on his face, and he too had grown in height. Lupin, on the whole, had still kept his baby face and light features, and Peter- well he was just as hideous as ever(possibly more).  
  
"Gosh Harry, your dad and you look like twins!" Fred gushed.  
  
"I know." Harry answered, proudly. He turned his attention back to his father again, and saw that he was talking to his friends in a lower tone now.  
  
"I can't wait to see the look on her face, you guys! She's so funny when she gets scared, she looks like a duck without wings-" He said happily, and Harry noticed his voice was fairly deeper.  
  
"Yeah. You know what I find funny, Jamsie? How bloody obsessed you are with the girl!" Sirius barked at his friend, and James was quick to take defense.  
  
"I'm not obsessed, man! She's just so much fun tormenting because she's such an easy target!" He burst out howling with laughter then.  
  
"Right." Remus said, looking at him like he was looking at a mad man. "Right."  
  
Their conversation ended then, for Professor McGonagall had just entered the room. Looking as stiff and formidable as ever, she walked quickly to her desk at the front of the class, and as she turned around to face her students, they all fell silent.  
  
"As I'm sure you are all aware of on some level by now, your fourth year will be the foundation for the next, when you will take your O.W.L.'s. Much more complex spells will be studied this term, and although I am not expecting you to be able to transfigure mice to men by the end of it, I will be setting a standard to which you will all need to reach-"  
  
"Do it now." Sirius whispered to James, nudging him. And stifling a cackle, James took out a single red rose from his brown, leather bag, said an incantation as quietly as possible, and sent it flying to the table at the front of the class- straight into a girl's free hand.  
  
Professor McGonagall, meanwhile, had her back turned from her pupils. She was writing a new method on the blackboard.  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione and the twins poked their heads up to see whom the rose had been sent to, and even the class wasn't listening and focusing instead on the pretty flower. The girl it had flown to, sharply threw her pencil down on her desk, and turned around angrily, glaring at James.  
  
It was Lily.  
  
"Oh really witty, Potter! A flying rose! Come on, even YOU could do better!" She said loudly, obviously caring less of who heard her.  
  
"You like it, Evans? I picked it because it's just as pretty as you." James grinned broadly, completely unscathed by her reaction.  
  
"What I'd LIKE, would be to smash your huge head with a frying pan!" Lily bellowed from across the room at him. And, piercing him with her stunning green eyes, she grabbed the rose and started pulling out its petals violently.  
  
Sirius clicked his tongue and shook a finger in a fake scolding manner.  
  
"That's not very nice, Evans!"  
  
"Not lady like at all!" James agreed, chuckling. "We're obviously going to have to teach you how to be a bit more feminine." And with that he lifted his wand, and the next thing Lily knew, the delicate rose had turned into a long, hissing, snake.  
  
"EEEEEKKKKKKK!!!" Lily cried, struggling as the serpent curled itself around her neck and all the way down to her waste. Looking livid and at the same time too scared to even speak, she fought back the tears stinging in her eyes, and remained seated, helpless.  
  
"I'll turn it back into a flower if you'll go out with me, Evans." James compromised, grinning slyly.  
  
"I'D RATHER ROT THAN GO OUT WITH YOU! YOU EGOTISTICAL, WOMANISING, SON OF A B-" But the snake cut off her cursing, by twisting upwards and wrapping its body around her mouth.  
  
"I would have loved to hear the rest of that Evans, but bad language is not permitted in the classrooms." James told her, as Sirius and Peter cackled, and Remus tried to look innocent by looking down at his textbook.  
  
Then, a second later, James wand zoomed out of his hand, and the snake fell to the floor, twitching as it changed back to a petal less rose.  
  
Professor McGonagall was staring straight at Harry's father, white-faced with fury.  
  
"POTTER! EVANS! THE TWO OF YOU GET OUT OF MY CLASSROOM IMMEDIATELY! AND MAKE SURE YOU SEE ME AFTER THIS PERIOD! WITHOUT A DOUBT YOU'LL BE SERVING A MONTH'S WORTH OF DETENTIONS AFTER THIS UNCALLED FOR ACT!"  
  
"But Professor-" Lily stood up, outraged.  
  
"I REFUSE TO HEAR IT!"  
  
"Um, excuse me Professor," Sirius raised a hand cautiously. "but might I just say, that my friend James here was only attempting to test his transfiguration skills, and considering the poor results of his last exam, I must say that I think he's improved MARVELOUSLY-"  
  
"GET OUT!!!"  
  
"Ok maybe not." Sirius reconsidered, making himself small in his chair.  
  
"Nice try buddy." James said, apologetically. And reluctantly, he got up and headed for the door, followed shortly by a fuming Lily.  
  
"Hurry up guys, we have to follow them." Harry told his friends, and jumping out of their seats, they practically ran out of the room. It didn't take them long to find James and Lily, they were standing outside in the middle of the corridor, screaming their lungs out at one another.  
  
"YOU MAKE ME WANT TO VOMIT! I'VE NEVER MET ANYONE MORE SELF-CONSUMED THAN YOU!" Lily spat at him.  
  
"YEAH I KNOW, SELF CONSUMED, EGOTISTICAL, AND BLA, BLA, BLA! DO YOU REALIZE YOU ALWAYS USE THE SAME WORDS TO DESCRIBE ME? YOU DON'T EVEN KNOW ME! WHY CAN'T YOU JUST GIVE ME A CHANCE?" He retorted.  
  
"I DON'T WANNA GIVE YOU A BLOODY CHANCE- I WANT NOTHING TO DO WITH YOU! JUST LEAVE ME THE HELL ALONE! FOR A WHOLE YEAR YOU'VE BEEN BEGGING ME TO DATE YOU, AND I ALWAYS GIVE YOU THE SAME ANSWER! WHEN IS IT GONNA SINK IN, POTTER?"  
  
Just then the bell rang, and second period was over. The classroom door banged open and Sirius came falling out, with Remus and Peter right behind him.  
  
"OI James! What happened with EV-" But when he saw her there in front of him, a grin flew to his face, and he skipped towards them.  
  
"Hey Evans, what's crackin?"  
  
"Put a sock in it, Black!" She scowled at him, but he ignored her comment.  
  
"Having a row with Jamsie boy again?" He smiled widely, and moved his face closer to hers. She pushed him away, looking disgusted. "Didn't like his gift, huh?" He asked her, and then he looked at his best friend. "Tough luck, bro, you'll have to try harder next time if you wanna score this tiger!"  
  
Lily raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I have a better idea. Why doesn't Potter just go out with himself? Now that's a match made by the God's, Potter. Imagine, you could talk about yourself twenty four seven, and your date would still be holding on to you, hook, line and sinker!" She giggled then, at her own joke, and James glowered at her.  
  
"You're lucky I even WANT to date you so bad, Evans! What with your carrot head and celery body and all-"  
  
"OK!" Sirius held up a hand between them. "Let's change the subject shall we? So Evans, are you coming to watch James' big day tomorrow?"  
  
"Big day?" Lily looked puzzled.  
  
"HELLO! The QUIDDITCH match!" Sirius reminded her as though she were an alien.  
  
"Oh. Right."  
  
James laughed.  
  
"Evans knows nothing about the greatest sport alive, Sirius. She finds her school books a lot more interesting."  
  
"Evans you MUST come! This is James' first match, EVER! And he's the SEEKER of the team! That's the most important position!"  
  
"That's right!" James said, smugly.  
  
"Oh, well this explains why your already overlarge head has been even more inflated lately!" Lily said, finally understanding. "But personally, it doesn't really spark my attention, so I don't think I'll be coming. It's a bit of a shame though, I'm sure I would of enjoyed watching Potter lose."  
  
"Oh, so you think I'll lose, is that right?" James piped up, hotly. "That's fine with me. I'm glad you doubt me, it just gives me more reason to push myself to win. And when I do, you can bet I'll rub it in your face for a very long time!"  
  
"We'll see then." Lily crossed her arms, and smiled her fakest, sweetest smile.  
  
"Oh this is GOOD!" Sirius exclaimed, clapping his hands excitedly. "Let's make a deal, alright? Evans you'll promise to come watch the match tomorrow, and if Gryffindor win you have to date Potter."  
  
"NO WAY! I OBJECT! I-"  
  
"BUT if they LOSE-" Sirius interrupted her. "James has to leave you alone forever, and never ask you out again." He finished.  
  
Lily looked from Sirius to James, and then back at Sirius.  
  
"Do you PROMISE Potter will leave me alone?" She asked him, and Sirius turned to James.  
  
"James?"  
  
"Of course I promise. If I lose that game tomorrow Evans, I'll stay out of your face for the rest of my life." He said sincerely, and she smiled at him.  
  
"Good. And I'll agree to go out with you if you win." She said.  
  
"Great then!" Sirius said cheerfully. "Now that that's settled, we'll let you get back to your friends, Evans. Tootles! And see you tomorrow!" He waved her off, and pulling her book bag up a little, she turned around with a last determined look at James, and walked away from them.  
  
"Well, I know you're risking a lot here, mate, but it'll definitely be worth it if you win tomorrow!" Sirius patted his friend on the back.  
  
"Yeah." He replied, absent mindly. He was still gazing at Lily. But when he turned to look at Sirius again, Harry saw there was fire in his eyes. "I'm going to win that match tomorrow- I'm going to win it if it's the last thing I do!"  
  
And then, the floor began to shake, and the image was once again starting to fade.  
  
"Everyone hold on!" Harry shouted to the others. They all grabbed on to each other, as they felt themselves spinning away from another precious memory.  
  
Back in Ron and Harry's room everyone was talking at once.  
  
"Your dad rocks Harry!" George told him as soon as they had returned.  
  
"Yeah you definitely take after his side!" Fred winked, and Harry beamed.  
  
"Thanks. It's just so weird seeing him and my mum fight like that." He was honest with them.  
  
"I know. Funny how they ended up getting married." Hermione laughed.  
  
"Yeah." Ron nodded, a misty grin plastered on his face. "Anyways, come on you guys, we better get down to the kitchens!" And without waiting for anyone else to say anything, he got off the bed and left the room on his own.  
  
"Yeah he's right, George. Let's get out of here! See you at dinner Harry, Hermione." Fred said. But before he left he walked over to Harry and whispered in his ear. "Meet us back here at exactly seven thirty. We have something important to ask you." And with that, the twins disapperated.  
  
"Is it just me or is something wrong with Ron?" Hermione asked Harry when they were alone.  
  
"No you're right. I've noticed too." Harry told her.  
  
"I'm not sure, but I think it's got something to do with Fred and George." Hermione confessed.  
  
"Hmm, maybe." And he privately decided he would ask Ron about it during supper. "Come on, let's go." And the two of them left together for the kitchens. 


	5. Quidditch, my friends?

A/N: A thousand apologies to all my readers for the extremely long wait! I won't waste anymore time making excuses for myself- here's the next one. Enjoy!

Jade

Ron was grouchy all through dinner, and once everyone had finished eating, Harry took the opportunity to pull him into the lounge. Ron seemed to know what was coming, he stared down at his feet.

"What's wrong?" Harry asked, simply. Ron remained quiet for a moment, then he sighed and looked up at his best friend.

"It's just- Fred and George- they're constantly making me their joke lately. They're always saying how if I keep my attitude up I'll be working for Percy at the Ministry soon."

"Ron, do you think you're like Percy?" Harry asked, smiling slightly.

"No!" Ron replied defensively. "Believe me, everyday I pray that whatever happens I'll never end up like him!"

"Well then if you know that, what should it matter what Fred or George says?"

"And the fact that I'm a prefect." Ron continued, ignoring Harry's question. "They're always sticking that to me! They think Dumbledore was drugged when he decided to give me my badge- they think you should have gotten it." Ron finished awkwardly. Harry shook his head.

"They're wrong, Ron. I don't deserve anything more than you do. I really haven't done anything too special." Ron gave him a sarcastic look. "It's true. I just got lucky. Sometimes I feel like my skin is a living miracle. I even hate myself for it." Harry gritted his teeth. It was his turn to look down.

"Think what you want," Ron shrugged. "but personally I think it's our world that's lucky- lucky to have you." Harry lifted his gaze from the floor. He grinned at him.

"To have us." He corrected him. And as he said it he stared past him into the doorway. Ron turned around. Hermione was standing there, beaming at them. She slowly walked to where they were standing. "The three of us." Hermione looked at Ron, then.

"Everyone knows how much you've done, Ron, including Fred and George, but you know them, they have odd ways of expressing their gratitude." She assured him, and Harry was positive he saw his face light up with a bit more confidence.

"I think they have odd ways of expressing everything, Hermione." Harry pointed out. And they all laughed. That's when Harry remembered he was supposed to meet the twins at seven thirty. "Hey Hermione do you know what time it is?"

"I think the clock said seven twenty five when I glanced at it-"

"Come on, we have to get upstairs! I promised the twins I'd meet them there, now." Ron and Hermione exchanged puzzled looks.

"Why?" Hermione asked.

"I don't know, but let's go find out." He said.

Harry entered his and Ron's bedroom to find the twins sitting on his bed, staring straight at him. Hermione and Ron followed in behind him.

"So what's this about?" Harry asked, getting right to the point. Fred and George smirked at him.

"When was the last time you took your Firebolt out for a ride, Harry?" George questioned him. Harry pondered this for a moment. It felt like ages since he had been on any broom. Dumbledore had sent him his Firebolt by owl post at the beginning of the summer, but with Sirius's death weighing heavily on his spirit he had never been in the mood to fly.

"It'll almost be a year now." He answered, regretfully.

"Mmmmhmmm. And, when were you planning on riding it next?" Fred asked, curiously.

"I- I don't know- when I get back to school I guess-"

"How about now?" George suggested. Harry peered at them suspiciously.

"Where are you going with this exactly?" He asked.

"We've been giving it some thought-" Fred begun.

"And we think it would make a fun little experiment." George concluded.

"What would?" Harry, Ron and Hermione said in unison.

"A game of Quidditch-" George explained.

"During our next memory." Fred finished, grinning madly. The trio stared at them in utter disbelief.

"And I thought you two couldn't get any more bloody mental." Ron confessed.

"Well it makes sense. The next memory is obviously going to be Harry's dad's Quidditch match, so we though maybe we could help them out a bit." George said.

"You mean play with my dad's team?" Harry asked.

"You got it." Fred said.

"But what if the next memory isn't that?" Hermione asked. "We'll have brought our brooms there for nothing, and we'll have to lug them around everywhere."

"So we'll take the chance." George said, indifferently. "After all, when's the next time Harry will be able to play Quidditch against his dad?" He winked at Harry.

"It would be kind of great!" Harry agreed.

"George and I will defend the beaters," Fred said. "Ron you'll position yourself near the keeper and help him out, and Harry you'll try to aid your dad out as best as you can." Harry and Ron nodded.

"Umm excuse me, and what does that leave me with?" Hermione demanded, her hands on her hips. They turned around to face her.

"Oh yeah-" George remembered, as if he had just seen her. "Hermione you'll ride with Ron." Hermione turned red.

"I don't want to ride with Ron!" She objected. Ron glared at her.

"And why not!" He snapped.

"Forget it, it doesn't matter!"

"No it doesn't." George agreed.

"Harry, shall we?" Fred asked. Harry grinned.

"We shall indeed."

"On the count of three then- Ron get ready(he was still arguing with Hermione)." Fred warned.

"1, 2, 3-" George counted, and together the four of them shouted:

"ACCIO BROOM!" Seconds later, Harry's Firebolt came crashing into the room, followed by Ron's broom, then Fred and George's. They each took hold of theirs, and then Harry walked over to the night table beside his bed and grabbed the book. Hermione joined them as they formed a tight circle in the center of the room.

"Ready to win your dad a date with his wonder woman, mate?" George asked Harry.

"Ready to try!" Harry replied, a bit nervous now. He opened the book and turned to the fourth page.

The Quidditch stadium was packed with students ready to support their team, even in the threatening, pouring rain.

"Great weather for playing, don't you think?" Hermione called out through the pandemonium. Meanwhile, Harry had just spotted Sirius standing at the front of the stand with his mother.

"There's Sirius and my mom, let's go see them." Harry said, and he walked over to them, the others close behind him.

"Feeling confident, Evans?" Sirius asked Lily.

"More confident than you I'm sure." Lily answered, smugly. Her hair was tied in a loose ponytail, and she was gripping her umbrella tightly.

"I'm not so sure about that. James in one hell of a flyer! How does it feel knowing you may be facing a date with Mr. Potter?" He questioned her, holding up an imaginary microphone to her mouth, as if he were a reporter. Lily scowled at him.

"If I vomited all over you would that be a satisfactory answer?" Sirius chuckled.

"I was right-" He said. Lily looked at him. "You two ARE perfect for each other." She punched his shoulder. "James isn't a bad guy you know." He said, seriously. "Maybe you should give him a chance to show you what he's really like." Lily didn't reply, she stared straight ahead at the opposite end of the stadium.

"Harry! The game's about to start! We've got to position ourselves!" Ron said. Harry disengaged himself from his mother and Sirius's conversation. He glanced at Fred and George. They were getting ready to mount their brooms.

"Let's go." He said. He, Ron and Hermione stationed themselves beside the twins.

"You three ready?" Fred asked them. They nodded. "Alright then. Here's the plan. We're going to fly to the hoops and stay there until the coach blows the whistle. Then we take our positions. Got it?"

"Got it." They said. They mounted their brooms. Hermione got behind Ron, appearing very apprehensive. Harry couldn't believe he was going to play Quidditch again. And what was more-he was actually going to watch his father fly. It all felt like a dream. The next thing he knew they were kicking off from the ground and soaring to the hoops. There was a sudden explosion of noise in the stadium. The players were coming out. Harry attempted to get a look at his father's face, but all he could catch was his figure, stiffly walking in rank to the center of the stadium. Gryffindor were playing Hufflepuff. The captains shook hands. The coach blew the whistle. They were off.

Harry flew to his dad immediately. James's jet black hair was flying everywhere in the wind, and cold rain was hitting his face and splashing on his glasses, making it hard for him to see. Nevertheless his face was determined. Harry was reminded of the match he had had in his third year in the same conditions. Hermione had put a spell on his glasses to make them repel water, then, but he couldn't remember it. He began looking around for a sight of the snitch. James was doing the same.

Ron was situated by the goal post. Hermione was holding on to his waist. As the quaffle came shooting his way, he turned, hit it with the back of his broom, and sent it flying to the opposite end of the stadium. Harry caught his eye and gave him the thumbs up sign. The chasers were so befuddled by how this had happened that Harry had to laugh at their confused faces. Meanwhile, Fred and George kept blocking the other team's beaters from getting too close to the bludger.

An hour passed by, Gryffindor were winning by a mile, but neither James or Harry had yet sighted the snitch.

"Oi Harry!" George called out to him. "Any luck?"

"Nothing!" Harry hollored back at him.

"Well get CRACKING!" Fred yelled. "Another minute out here and my ass cheeks are going to be icicles!"

Then it happened. Harry saw his father dive down after what had to have been the snitch. He tailed him. The Hufflepuff seeker had seen James. He soared down at equal level to him, and after a moment of watching them race head to head, Harry decided to make his father's job a little easier. He flew ahead right beside the Hufflepuff seeker, and purposely bashed himself right into him. The Hufflepuff player was stunned. Harry knocked into him again, and that time the mix of wind and pressure threw him off course. James looked back in shock. The Gryffindor fans were screaming. He speeded up, then pulled his hand out and reached for the snitch. It was over in a minute. James caught the ball, and the stadium roared in triumph. James beamed, and still holding the snitch, he flew up to where Lily was standing with Sirius. Harry was right beside him. Lily stared at James in a complete loss for words. He took her hand, and placed the golden snitch in it. It burst into heatless flame, and transformed into a beautiful lily.

"It's better than a snake, right?" He said, smirking, and then he took off to go join his team in celebrating. Sirius's face was lit up with an insane grin. Lily looked at the flower and smiled in spite of herself.

"Harry! We did it! We won!" Ron shouted as he pulled up beside his best friend.

"You were amazing Harry!" Hermione was glowing.

"His father's absolutely wicked!" George said, just arriving.

"Brilliant!" Fred agreed. "You fly so much like him Harry!" Harry was bursting with pride. A few moments later, James flew up to see Sirius. Lily was still with him. She was snorting at the group of girls who were drooling over James.

"Well I guess this means you owe SOMEONE a date, Evans." Sirius reminded her, evilly. Lily couldn't even look James in the face. The joke was on her and she was so humiliated. Harry glanced at his father. He was studying Lily's face, and he appeared sympathetic. What he said next seemed to have cost him a great deal.

"So where do you want to have your dinner?" Sirius was rambling. "I could set up a romantic spot near the gardens-of course I would need Remus's help but-OH THIS IS WONDERFUL!"

"Forget it, Sirius." James said, quietly.

"You'll be right under the moonlight! Then you could kiss Evans by the fountain, and Evans you could throw him in. I'm sure that would make such a funny picture- WHAT?" He had just realized what James had said.

"I said forget it. Let her date whoever she wants." He said. Lily was looking at him like he had just hit his head hard.

"What?" She said. He turned to her.

"I don't want you to go out with me because I won a quidditch game, and you lost a stupid bet. I want you to REALLY like me, but obviously that's never going to happen, so just forget it."

"James are you serious, mate?" Sirius looked bewildered.

"Yup."

"Is this a cry for pity, Potter?" Lily demanded.

"No. Believe me the last thing I need is your pity." James told her, honestly.

"You're really going to forget about this?" Lily asked, disbelievingly.

"Lily, consider it my greatest pleasure." James said, bowing to her. Then he turned around and walked away from them.

"Oh my God he called me Lily." Lily said, shocked.

"Oh my God he called you Lily." Sirius repeated. "All my planning-WASTED!" He bellowed, as he too walked away and left Lily standing alone in the rain.

"Arghh!" Frustrated, Lily threw the lily from her hand, and it fell elegantly to the ground.

"It is so obvious she likes him deep down, she just doesn't want to admit it." Ron said.

"Yeah." Fred piped up. "It's kinda like you two." He nodded at him and Hermione. Hermione turned scarlet. Ron flushed.

"Shut up." He said.

Then suddenly the picture began to fade to black, and Harry knew the memory was ending. He and his friends took hold of one another, as they once again fell through darkness and back into Harry and Ron's room at Grimmauld Place.

"I can't believe we did all that for nothing." Harry said. "My dad ended up refusing the date."

"It wasn't all for nothing." Ron disagreed.

"Yeah it was fun." George grinned. Fred yawned.

"Loads of fun." He seconded. "Now if you'll excuse us- bedtime calls."

"Yes I'm tired too, Harry." Hermione said. "I'll see you two in the morning." And with a last smile at him and Ron, she left the room.

"Do Fred and George think I like her?" Ron asked Harry when she had left. Harry snorted.

"Ron, everyone thinks you like her." Ron threw a pillow at him.

"Throw as many things at me as you want!" Harry laughed. "I've wanted to tell you that for so long!"


	6. The Madness Within

A/N: Please review this guys! I'll make a deal with you: the more reviews I get the faster I'll update! I really want your feedback! Ok I'll shut up now. This chapter is going to be pretty long. There's some twists coming up that I'm sure you wouldn't have expected. Enjoy!

J.S.B

Mrs. Weasley kept Harry and his friends so busy cleaning the house the next day, they couldn't even think about seeing another memory before supper had come around.

"Isn't this supposed to be summer vacation?" Ron groaned miserably as he threw the last of the spider webs they had found in the corner of the upstairs library into a nearby garbage. "It's more like a summer nightmare- working like bloody muggles and invading spiders' homes."

"You are such a complainer, Ronald." Hermione sighed, exasperatedly.

"I'm not complaining, Hermione. I'm merely stating my disapproval about the labor we're doing when we could be doing something far more interesting. Now I'm sure for you that might be reading a new book, but I would personally like to see the next memory."

"Oh put a pipe in it, little brother!" Fred said.

"Yeah, before we slip a couple of spiders into your pumpkin juice at dinner." George grinned.

Half an hour later the five of them entered the kitchens, where Mrs. Weasley greeted them warmly. Harry noticed Fred eyeing the table.

"Why the extra placemat, Mum?" Mrs. Weasley smiled.

"We have surprise company tonight." She announced. And right on cue, the side door opened and a man dressed in Shabby, grey robes stepped in, his pale eyes gleaming. It was Lupin.

'Hello everyone." He looked straight at Harry(who was momentarily too stunned for words), beaming.

"Professor!" The twins shouted, together.

"You're back!" Ron and Hermione exclaimed.

"Yes I am, and I think I may be staying for a while this time." He told them. Just then Arthur Weasley walked in. He kissed his wife on the cheek, and then turned to the group.

"There is much to say."

"So let me get this straight," Ron said. "Fudge might lose the top job?"

"That seems to be what is expected at this point." Mr. Weasley confirmed.

"But who'll take over?" Harry inquired.

"They should give the job to Percy!" Fred laughed. "I'd say he definitely has the spirit!"

"It's really not a funny matter." Lupin said seriously. "Fudge has been storming around the ministry for weeks now, sacking anyone he suspects to be voting against him.

Yesterday alone he told three people to clear out their offices. It's sort of his-"

"Last attempt at revenge." Hermione finished for him.

"Exactly." Lupin said.

"Now do you see where I'm going with this?" Mr. Weasley asked, gravely.

"Oh Arthur, do you really fear your position is in danger?" Mrs. Weasley's eyes were filled with worry.

"You know I do, Molly." Arthur sighed. Mrs. Weasley looked suddenly furious.

"Oooh I swear if that man weren't the Minister I'd- SPIT on him!" She shook violently as tears spilled down her cheeks onto her apron.

"Molly-" Lupin began, reaching out for her arm.

"NO!" She pulled away frantically. "For all he's put us through- put our children through- I won't stand by and take it anymore! I'm writing to Dumbledore to inform him of this, immediately!"

"Well that's the thing, sweetheart." Mr. Weasley said, a bit louder now, but smiling slightly. "You see, the way it looks now, Fudge is going to lose his job TO Dumbledore."

"WHAT?" Harry, Ron, Hermione and the twins yelled out together.

"He can't be both Minister for Magic and Headmaster of our school!" Ron objected.

"And he absolutely can't leave us- not at a time like this." Hermione added.

"Hogwarts won't be half as safe without him! We've known that since our second year!" Harry reminded him.

"Believe me, Harry, that's his biggest concern." Lupin assured him. "But now that they know the Dark Lord is back, the people want Dumbledore to lead them to his downfall." Harry said nothing. He looked away then, but inside he was suddenly very uneasy. Who would he turn to for help once Dumbledore was gone? Lupin seemed to be reading his mind. "I'm definitely no Dumbledore, Harry, but you may like to know I'll be working at Hogwarts again this year, and you can always talk to me about whatever may be troubling you." Harry turned to him. Ron and Hermione both exchanged very surprised looks.

"You're coming back?" Harry asked him, disbelievingly. "But I thought you couldn't-" Lupin smiled, weakly.

"Fudge was furious when Dumbledore announced it publicly."

"You're kidding me!" Hermione said.

"No I'm not. It was just two days ago. Apparently Dumbledore gave a speech to the entire Wizengamot on how it was time for the ministry to stop preventing half-breeds from employment. And as I'm sure you've already figured out by now- Dumbledore's word is gold to everyone these days. People are sick of lies, they want the truth, and Dumbledore has it, so of course they're all turning to him. Anyways, he managed to convince them that I'd be no danger whatsoever to the students as long I took my potion monthly. Now the Ministry's going to test my behavior for a year, before deciding what's next for me. If everything goes well till then, half-breed employment may become completely legal."

"That's great Professor!" Ron said, cheerfully.

"It is." He agreed, and turning to Harry he said, "Remember what I told you, Harry. I'm sure this summer has been hard on you, believe me, it's been hard on me as well, but we're in this together- all of us- so remember, you're not alone. Things are changing drastically, you'll start to see it for yourself when you return to school."

"I don't think anything would surprise me anymore." Harry confessed.

After supper, the trio went back upstairs to Harry and Ron's room.

"It was really nice seeing Professor Lupin again." Hermione said. She was sitting on Ron's bed, petting Crookshanks.

"Yeah, and I can't believe he's coming back to Hogwarts!" Ron said.

"You think he'll teach defense against the dark arts again?" Harry asked his friends.

"Don't know, mate." Ron shrugged. "I'm just glad he's going to be there, what with Dumbledore gone and everything."

"Oh honestly, maybe we're making too big a deal about that. I mean, Dumbledore taking over as Minister has got to ultimately be a good thing." Hermione pointed out.

"Yeah, but who do you suppose will take his place as headmaster?" Harry questioned her.

"My bet's McGonagall!" Ron grinned. "She's the only one Dumbledore trusts enough."

"Maybe." Hermione said. "But you can never be sure with Dumbledore."

"You got that right." Harry said. "Anyways guys, where are Fred and George? Are they coming with us to see the next memory?"

"I don't think so, mate. They've been waiting for a chance to test their new products all day." Ron told him.

"Speaking of memories, Harry, how come you didn't tell Lupin about the book?" Hermione asked him.

"I don't know. I mean, I guess it's because it was something between Sirius and my father only. What if he doesn't even know about it?" He explained, but that was only half of his reasons. The real one was that he didn't want Lupin to think he was so desperate to see Sirius again he'd even resort to seeing him in his past memories.

"I see." Was all Hermione said.

"So what do you think?" Harry said, wanting to change the subject. "One more trip to the past before we call it a night?"

"Sounds good to me." Ron obliged.

"Same here." Hermione said. Harry grinned at them. He reached out for the book. It was lying on the edge of his night table, as if waiting to be used again. Harry removed the suede belt, opened it, and turned it slowly to the fifth page. The trio stood side by side, as a flash of white light shot out of the novel.

"Here we go!" Harry called.

They were in the library. Students sat in groups with their friends, their heads over piles of books, spare parchment and quills beside them. All talk was barely more than whispers. The librarian sat at her desk in the corner of the room, her long, crooked nose was touching a stack of papers she had piled up in front of her. Every once in a while she'd raise her head to scowl at a student who's conversation was growing loud enough for her to follow.

"Home sweet home, huh Hermione?" Ron smirked at her, and she hit him in the ribs.

"Guys look!" Harry pointed ahead to a table far back, where two girls were sitting. One of them had long, red hair. "It's my mom." The three of them walked towards the table, and, upon arriving there, took chairs from the surrounding empty tables and sat beside Lily and her friend. Lily's head was bent over a picture her friend was showing her. The girl Lily was with had thick, dark brown hair and rich blue eyes that were heavily lidded. She was very beautiful, and she looked strangely familiar to Harry.

"His name is Tom Marvolo Riddle," She was telling Harry's mom, and the trio exchanged looks of horror. "but he calls himself Lord Voldemort." She gushed, lovingly.

"He's cute." Lily said.

"And powerful." Her friend added.

"And A LOT older." Lily laughed at her. She giggled. "That is SO your type, Trix!"

"BELLATRIX LESTRANGE!" Harry, Ron and Hermione shouted in unison.

"They were friends?" Hermione exclaimed.

"That's disgusting!" Ron said, looking repulsed. "How could Harry's mother ever associate herself with someone like her?" Harry looked at the two girls in front of him, two bewildered to speak. Instead he leaned over to look at the picture Bellatrix was holding. Tom Marvolo Riddle had looked so much different back then, but his pale skin, dark, hollow eyes, and thin mouth still stood out.

"Yeah I guess he is." Bellatrix agreed. "Sort of like the way James Potter is your type." She grinned slyly at Lily. Lily raised an eyebrow dangerously.

"Don't cross the line, Trix!" She warned her. "Potter is nothing close to my type and I sincerely doubt he ever will be."

'Whatever you say, Lils, but I still think he's HOT!" Bellatrix told her, and then she burst into laughter. Harry noted that it was a laugh quite different from the one he had heard in the Department of Mysteries.

'This Bellatrix still has a soul, she hasn't been completely tainted yet.' Harry thought to himself. Still he thought his mother was crazy to be hanging around with her.

"Lunacy." Lily shook her head at her, yawning she glanced at her watch. "Argh! I'm getting nowhere with my studying, thank God the OWLS are in another three months! I'm going to bed."

"Ok, see you later Lils." Bellatrix said.

"Night, Trix." Lily waved goodbye to her, and then stood up from the table and made her way out of the library.

"Let's go." Harry told Ron and Hermione, and they got up and followed her.

Once they were out of the Library, they spotted Lily a little further ahead of them, her book bag swinging loosely on her shoulders, she was heading towards the Gryffindor common room. A moment later though, something made her stop. She turned around and stared right in the direction of Harry and his friends. For a second Harry feared they had somehow became visible, but then he heard light footsteps behind them. He, Ron and Hermione turned around at the same time. A few feet in front of them a boy was limping as he made his way down the staircase. Lily turned back and walked toward the trio.

"Remus?" She whispered, puzzled, and the next thing they knew, she was following him. Down the staircase, past the Great Hall, out into the grounds.

"Harry I don't have a good feeling about this." Hermione whimpered as they trudged along, inches behind Lily.

"She's heading for the Whomping Willow!" Ron pointed out. And sure enough Lily watched Remus enter the ground beneath the tree, and then carefully made her way up to it and imitated the way he had made his entrance.

"We have to jump in right after she does. Get ready you guys!" Harry warned them, and as soon as Lily had slid down the hole the three of them pursued. The ground above them shook as they landed on the path that led to the shrieking shack. In front of them, Lily was getting back on her feet, cleaning the dirt off her robes. Cautiously the three of them followed her as she quietly traced Remus's footsteps.

"Your mother was pretty brave to be here right now." Hermione(Who looked herself as though she were about to faint) said to Harry. A few minutes later they arrived at a door. A huge scratch, which looked as though it had been made by a rather savage animal, was scraped into its wood. Lily slowly creaked the door open. Remus was standing a few feet away with his back turned toward her. As she closed the door behind her, he spun around.

"LILY!" He cried. "What are you doing here? You shouldn't be here!" Lily saw the fear in his face.

"I- I saw you limping as I was heading to the common room- I just wanted to know if you were alright." She stuttered, and then taking in her surroundings she asked him what she really wanted to know. "Remus what IS this place."

"Believe me Lily, it's much better that you don't know. Please leave!" Remus pleaded with her.

"Remus just tell me the truth, If you need help I'll help you, just-"

"Lily, the best way you could possibly help me right now is to leave!" Remus was begging her now.

"I'm not leaving until you tell me what's going on here! The faster you do the sooner I'll be out of your way!" Lily's eyes flashed dangerously, and Remus saw that she meant what she was saying. Sighing heavily, he sat down, and she took her place beside him.

"Wow, James is right, you ARE stubborn." Remus chuckled at her.

"Shut up!" She joked. "Remus where are we? Why are you in this place alone?" Remus removed his gaze from her for a moment, and when he looked back Lily found herself frightened by the distance in his pale eyes. It was as though she were looking at a stranger.

"Lily can I trust you?" He asked her, gravely.

"Of course! Remus whatever it is I'll understand-" He took her hand.

"Lily you need to swear to me that you'll tell no one what I'm about to reveal to you. You need to understand- My life could be ruined if the wrong people found out!"

"I promise, Remus." She said solemnly. He breathed deeply.

"Ok. Right now we are in the Shrieking Shack." He told her.

"The Shrieking Shack?" She repeated, befuddled.

"Yes. This place was set up especially for me. When I was a young boy, I ran into the woods and got bitten by a werewolf. The bite, unfortunately, turned me into one myself.

Every month, at the full moon, I leave the school to come here and deal with my sickness, where there is no one else to endanger." Lily's hand was over her mouth in shock.

"My God, Remus, I'm so sorry. It must be terrible here, segregated from all your friends, unable to live a normal life!"

"It does get pretty lonely," Lupin agreed. "but you learn to manage, and I've come to terms with the fact that I will never lead a normal life. It's alright though really, I have amazing friends who are beyond faithful and supportive, and knowing that I can't harm anyone this way comforts me." The trio was dead silent. Hermione had tears shining in her eyes.

"So James, Sirius and Peter know about your condition?" Lily asked him.

"Yeah, and they're so great about it! They treat me as though I were one of them, just a normal guy. It was so hard telling them about it, I thought for sure they'd turn their backs on me, but they were so accepting of it all, and in this weird way it just ended up bringing us closer." He told her. Lily stared at him hard for a while.

"You're a great guy, Remus." She said, and then she did something Harry and his friends had definitely not been prepared for. She lifted her head up to his face and kissed him softly. When they broke apart, Lily clung to him, and he ran his hands through her hair. Then, as though suddenly realizing his actions, he let go of her and looked down at his feet.

"What's wrong?" Lily asked him, confused.

"I can't do this Lily." He said, grimly, and looking straight into her eyes he said, "James really cares about you, and I don't want to be the one to hurt him this way." Lily was so taken aback she didn't even know what to say. Then suddenly, Remus's eyes began rolling, violently, his whole body was shaking and twitching madly, as a petrified Lily watched him transform before her very eyes. Lily's eyes grew wide as the innocent, kindhearted boy she knew became an estranged monster. She made an attempt to run to the door, but wasn't quick enough. The werewolf jumped on her like she was prey. Lily screamed as it tore mercilessly at her robes, but before it could even plan its next move, the door flew open and a black dog, stag and rat came running in. Sure they would attack her also, Lily covered her face with her hands, but the animals ran right past her to the werewolf. Uncovering her face, Lily was mortified to see the black dog and stag ripping at the werewolf's skin. She tried to get up, but found she was too weak to, and collapsed, unconscious back onto the ground.

"Harry your mum's fainted!" Ron cried out, but just as he did the stag walked over to her, lifted her up and put her over his back. Then he made his way out the door.

"Come on!" Harry urged the other two. The followed them out, all the way down the path and back up to the tree. Once they were out, they saw the stag lay Lily's figure down on the ground a safe distance away from the Whomping Willow. They ran up to her. Her robes were covered in filth, she was bleeding on her leg where the werewolf had torn at her robes, and she was shivering. Harry, Ron and Hermione watched in amazement as the stag transformed into James. Standing over her with deep cuts all over his arms, Harry saw for the first time just how much he truly loved her. Lily's eyes were half opened now. She was peering at James in a state of trauma and confusion.

"James? You- you- saved my life, but- how-" James cut her off, quickly.

"Shhh." He said, holding a finger to his lips. "I'll explain everything once I take you to the Hospital Wing." And with that, he bent down, picked up her limp figure, and made his way back to the castle with her.

The picture was rapidly fading to black. Harry, Ron and Hermione took hold of one another as they felt themselves spinning back into their present time.

'I- I don't know what to say." Hermione said, quietly.

"Neither do I." Said Ron.

"Well then maybe we shouldn't say anything." Harry suggested. Ron and Hermione looked at him, nervously. "We'll discuss it tomorrow, I need some sleep anyways." He insisted, faking a small smile at them.

Lying in his bed that night a million thoughts swirled through Harry's head. His mother and Bellatrix Lestrange being friends. His mother kissing one of his father's best friends.

'How did she end up marrying my father?' Harry asked himself for the thousandth time.

He wondered whether he'd ever tell Remus about what he had witnessed. What would Remus tell him? Would he tell him the truth was he did have feelings stronger than friendship towards Lily? Harry didn't want to hear it. He was starting to realize that he didn't always need to know everything. For the first time in the whole summer so far he knew he really wasn't the only one suffering, and it hit him that just as much as he had lost his godfather, Remus had lost his best friend.


	7. Two Steps Back

When Harry woke up late the next morning he raced down to the kitchens to find Ron and Hermione. When he got there he found them sitting at the table, having breakfast and chatting pleasantly with Remus. The three of them turned around when they heard him run in.

"Hello, Harry!" Remus greeted him cheerfully. Harry felt the color in his face gradually draining out. He didn't think he'd ever be able to look at the man sitting before him the same way again.

"Hello!" He said hastily, and a lot louder than he had intended to.

"Sleep well, mate?" Ron asked, looking him over, nervously.

"Fine." He lied.

"Are you sure Harry?" Remus said, doubtfully. "You look rather pale."

"It's nothing. I feel great, actually!" He dismissed him, quickly, and then, looking at Ron and Hermione, said, "Can I have a word, you guys?"

"Sure." Ron replied, a slice of toast in his mouth. He and Hermione exchanged worried glances, and then got up and followed him upstairs.

Lupin watched them from behind his paper, completely puzzled. When Mrs. Weasley walked in, carrying a pile of dirty clothes towards the laundry room, he put his copy of 'The Daily Prophet' down.

'Molly, I believe we need to talk."

Once they were in his and Ron's room, Harry rounded on his friends.

"Why didn't one of you wake me up?" He demanded, angrily. "How do you think I felt walking into the kitchen and seeing HIM there?"

"I suppose you mean Professor Lupin?" Hermione asked, coolly.

"Yeah, whatever-" Harry muttered. "What's he still doing here, anyway?

"Mum insisted he stay overnight." Ron explained. "I guess she figured that he could use some company, being that he's alone so often."

"Right."

"Harry, listen, we know what you saw during the last memory upset you, but-" Hermione began, but Harry cut her off.

"I'm not upset. I'm over it." He insisted, to which Ron and Hermione gave him unconvinced looks. "Honestly, I'm trying to forget about it. Anyways, I just wanted to know if you two wanted to come see the next memory with me."

"I don't know, mate," Ron said, tentatively. "Don't you think you've seen enough for just now? Can't it wait till later?"

"Ron I can handle it." Harry argued, stubbornly. "Seriously, I can."

"We know you can, Harry." Hermione told him. "We're just not sure if you really want to." Harry chose to ignore that comment.

"Listen. I'm going now with or without you two. So?" He looked at them, inquiringly.

"Fine. I'm in." Ron announced.

"Me too." Hermione agreed, and getting up off Harry's bed, she reached over to his night table, grabbed the novel, and handed it over to him with a small smile.

"Here we go again." He said, returning her smile. And untying the belt from the leather cover, he turned to the sixth page. 

They were in the hospital wing. From the gloomy light peeking in through the windows, it appeared to be early morning. The sky was grey, and rain poured down miserably. Madam Pomfrey was out of sight.

A boy with dark hair knelt beside an occupied bed a few feet away. Harry, Ron and Hermione made their way up to him. It was James. He was gazing down at Lily's injured face. Gazing at her as though he'd never loved anyone more.

"Still here, Mr. Potter?" A voice came from behind the trio. It was Dumbledore. He swept majestically across the room to where Harry's father was kneeling, and smiled benevolently down at him. "She will be fine, James. I assure you."

"I know she will be." James replied, quietly. "I just feel like I should be here for her."

"Yes, perhaps you should be." Dumbledore nodded, graciously. "Still, I must say, it is a nice change seeing you two in the same room and not shouting your lungs out at one another." He laughed, pleasantly.

"Yeah, but that's only because she's still asleep." James answered, attempting a grin, but Harry noticed the touch of sadness in his voice.

"Ms. Evans should consider herself quite lucky to have someone like you by her side." Dumbledore pointed out. "Have a good day, James.

"Thank you, and same to you, Sir."

As Dumbledore strolled out of the wing, Lily's eyes slowly began to open.

"Potter." She said, weakly. "What are you doing here?"

"I-" He hesititated for a moment. "I have no idea." He chuckled, stupidly. She always made him feel like such an idiot.

"Is Remus all right?" She asked, concerned. James felt a pang of jealousy hit him, and Harry had a sudden surge of resentment for his father's friend. She was worried about Remus, perhaps she even cared about him.

"Remus goes through this every full moon. He'll cope. My question is if you're all right."

"I'm fine." She told him. Then she looked him over, suspiciously. "How long have you been here, Potter?"

"All night." He answered, bluntly. Lily looked shocked at first, then she shifted her hips and stretched, widely.

"God, you're such a retard, Potter."

"Yeah, that's me." He said. "And I guess- since we seem to be back on a last name basis- you're starting to feel much better. Okay, I think I'll just step out now." He turned to leave, but Lily's voice stopped him. 

"It was you, wasn't it? You saved my life last night." James stared at her hard for a moment.

"What difference would it make if I did?" He replied, coldly.

"Don't be an asshole!" She snapped, then calming down she said, "So how long have you been an animagus for, then?"

"Swear to me that you'll never say anything about that to anyone." He pleaded with her.

"Potter, don't sweat it, I'll keep your big secret." She giggled.

"When we found out about Remus, we felt so terrible. We wanted to be there for him. To show him that we wouldn't turn on him because of what he was. So we studied for months on how to become an unregistered animagus, and finally, we went through with it."

"You, Sirius and Peter?"

"Yup. It was the scariest thing I've ever done, but it was an adventure. Every full moon is an adventure."

"And Remus can't hurt you in your animagus state?" Lily questioned him.

"No, he only reacts that way towards humans. Which is why you've got to make me a second promise. Promise me you'll never go looking for him off school grounds again. Promise me, Lily." Mustering up all his nerve, he reached out gently for her hand. Instantly, she recoiled. Looking up into his eyes she said,

"You know, I can't remember the last time you called me Evans."

"I grew out it." James said, simply. There was silence for a moment. Then,

"Why'd you save me, James?" To Lily's surprise, James laughed so sarcastically at this that it made her frown again.

"Why the hell do you THINK I did it?" He spat at her, as she lifted herself up, obviously preparing for a fight. "I LOVE YOU, Lily! I've loved you since the first time I met you! What don't you possibly get about that?"

"Frankly, what I don't GET is how you can say you love me, when you don't even KNOW me!" She retorted, angrily. At her remark, James fell silent. And as realization dawned upon him, he backed two steps away. The sparkle in her emerald eyes was alive with the furious passion he knew only he could bring out in her, and he knew he never wanted to see those eyes reflecting pain again. He wasn't going to this to her anymore. He was sick and tired of the stupid games they played with each other. This was it. No more. He was throwing in the towel. He was giving up.

"You know what? You're right. You are. I DON'T know you, but I'll have you know that I wanted to more than anything. I truly did."

"Listen, Potter-"

"No you listen." James demanded, determined to have his point said and then leave. "I'm sorry for anything I've ever done that hurt you, and I'm sorry for playing games, but I will never be sorry that I loved you. I know you're strong, and that's why you need to put up walls to defend yourself, but you never had to defend yourself from me. I only wanted to show you a good time. That's all."

Lily seemed to have lost her tongue. She dropped her head, shamefully.

"No! See- that's exactly what I never want to see you do! Never look down to anyone, Lily. Look, I don't want to make this another one of our dramatic episodes. I stand by what I said, and so I'm bowing out, graciously. I hope somewhere down the line we can eventually be friends. For now- goodbye Lily." With a last, meek smile, James turned and left the hospital wing.

The trio's last glimpse of the memory was seeing Lily bury her face in her hands. Then once again black had taken over, and they felt themselves spinning around in it, back to Grimmauld Place.

"Harry-" Hermione reached out to him, once they had returned. 'I'm so sorry-"

"I don't want to talk about it." He said, bitterly. And with that, he left the room, the book still in his grip. Running down the staircase, past the portrait of Sirius's mother(who began issuing curses at him), Harry thought about ripping out every page in the novel and throwing it in the lake at Hogwarts. His musings were jarred when he suddenly ran straight into someone. Looking up, he saw it was Lupin.

"Why the rush, Harry?" Lupin asked, curiously. Harry regarded him with newfound disgust. Suddenly he hated everything about Lupin. Suddenly meeting his pale blue eyes meant seeing the shadow of his mother reaching up to kiss him in the shrieking shack.

"I don't have time to talk to you." He answered, aggressively, and as he took a step forward he heard Remus's voice spoke up again.

"I know about that novel you're holding, Harry." Harry spun around.

"How?"

"I spoke to Dumbledore this morning. I was concerned about the way you were acting around me. He told me everything."

"Dumbledore was here? Well you know what, the next time you run into him, give him this." Harry said, handing him the novel, but Remus didn't take it.

"Why did you hide this from me, Harry?" He asked, looking genuinely pained. This for some spiteful reason, gave Harry some satisfaction.

"It was between my Dad and Sirius! Besides, why do you care? You definitely have plenty of your own secrets you kept from him!"

"What are you talking about?" Lupin asked him, perplexed.

"YOU KISSED MY MOM!" Harry was in a rage now, screaming carelessly. "YOU MADE HER FEEL SORRY FOR YOU! MY DAD LOVED HER, BUT SHE NEVER LOVED HIM! SHE PROBABLY LOVED YOU THE WHOLE TIME!"

Lupin's eyes were wide with understanding. He was so taken aback he couldn't even speak.

"I HATE YOU!" Harry roared at him. Meanwhile, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George and Ginny were watching the entire dispute from the top of the staircase. Mrs. Weasley had just entered the hallway to find the source of all the yelling. "GET OUT OF HERE!" Harry ordered him, no less than livid now. And because Remus Lupin had only the most respect in the world for Harry Potter, he obliged. Grabbing his jacket and hat off the coat stand in the corner by the door, he wished Mrs. Weasley a pleasant evening and quickly departed.

Harry gritted his teeth to stifle another tantrum. He threw the novel recklessly at the door, where it fell opened and bare on the cold floor. Time seemed to stand still. When Mrs. Weasley finally spoke, Harry felt as though he'd rather be anywhere else.

"Well Harry, dear, I never thought I'd say this, but I'm very disappointed in you. That was not the mature way of expressing your opinions to Professor Lupin. He only wants what's best for you, you know?" She smiled, sadly. "Now all of you, supper's just about ready. Let's head to the kitchens shall we?" She turned her back on them all then, and headed back to check on her meal.

Fred and George came down first. Passing by Harry they simply nodded politely, and the absence of one of their humorous remarks made him feel even worse. When Ron and Hermione made their way up to him, Harry was horrified to see that they both looked extremely let down by his actions.

'When are you going to grow up, Harry?" Hermione asked him, tears shining in her eyes. And with that, she followed Fred and George to the kitchens. Harry was left standing in front of a disheartened Ron.

"It happened almost twenty years ago, mate. It's just a memory now. You've got to let go and move on." He pat him on the back, and walked off. Staring blankly at his feet, at first Harry didn't hear Ginny come down. When she cleared her throat, he looked up at her, broken and black.

"Are you here to let me know how much of a mess I've made, too?" He asked.

"No." She replied, kindly. "Just to remind you that the person you just pushed away is someone who cares about you more than you can imagine. And it's the same for all us here, as well. We're here for you, Harry, but you've got to quit living in the past."

And she left him there feeling like a part of the floor. Cold, empty and stepped on. She left him there knowing he had made a terrible mistake. 


End file.
